EX  LIBRIS 

DOMUS  NEOPORTUENSIS 

B . TVI.  V.  IN CCENACULO 

0-4.  I(ff0(i> 


THE  LIFE 


St.  Francis  Xavier, 

Jipstlf  of  % gnims  anii  gapn. 

PROM  THE  ITALIAN  OF 

D.  BARTOLI  and  J.  P.  MAFFEI. 

WITH  A PEEEACE 

BY 

The  Very  Rev.  Dr.  FABER. 


MIRABILI3  DEUS  IN  SANCTIS  SCIS. 
Psalm,  lxvii. 


NINTH  AMERICAN  FROM  THE  LAST  LONDON  EDITION. 


With  the  Approbation  of  the  Most  Reverend  Archbishop  of  Baltimore, 


NEW  YORK : 

P.  O’SHEA,  Ag’t. 
45  WARREN  STREET. 


■33X.  4~'’|  o o 

.Ft  3^ 


v 


!Zi  St  S' 


TO 


jsuriffn  of  Jijstts, 

THIS  EDITION  OF  THE 

Life  and  Apostolic  Labors 

OF  ONE  OF  THE 


MOST  ILLUSTRIOUS  MEMBERS  OF  THE  ORDER, 

IS,  WITH  THE  GREATEST  RESPECT,  DEDICATED, 

BY  THEIR  OBEDIENT  SERVANT, 


JJttblisIjwc. 


PREFACE. 


There  are  certain  moments  in  the  history  of  the 
world  when  we  cannot  in  imagination  look  out,  as  from 
some  mountain-top,  over  the  wide  and  various  earth, 
without  a deep  thrill  passing  through  our  souls.  It  is 
not  a thrill  arising  from  the  dramatic  interest  of  the 
scene  before  us.  It  is  rather  a sudden  sense  of  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  and  the  sweet  trouble  of  holy  loving  fear 
which  always  comes  therefrom.  Such  a moment  was 
that  when  God  looked  over  the  newly-created  earth, 
adorned  with  all  its  beautiful  and  mysterious  species,  and 
pronounced  it  very  good.  Such  a moment  also  was  that, 
when  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  over,  and  our  Lady  and  the 
twelve  apostles  found  the  whole  world  lying  before  them* 
with  its  false  religions,  vain  philosophies,  and  gigantic 
political  systems,  all  to  be  broken  down  and  brought  into 
subjection  to  Jesus  Christ  and  Him  crucified.  Yet, 
rightly  considered,  the  earth  always  presents  to  the 
Christian  eye  something  of  this  last  picture.  It  always 
needs  converting.  It  is  always  strong  against  God.  The 
Church  is  always  feeble  in  appearance ; and  now  men  can 
almost  judge  her  decrepit.  There  is  always  the  same 
foolishness  of  the  Cross,  the  same  want  of  worldly  wis- 
dom in  the  Church,  the  same  disproportion  between  her 
means  and  ends.  She  has  worse  civilizations  to  deal 
with  now  than  the  unholy  Roman  empire ; heresies 
worse  than  heathenisms  ; philosophies  more  devilish  ; 
and  corruptions  less  remediable,  because  they  are  sins 


vi 


PREFACE. 


against  so  much  greater  light.  Neither  has  she.  in  all 
her  width,  the  strength  of  twelve  apostles  in  her  among 
her  living  sons.  But  she  has  Mary,  and  Peter,  and  the 
rest  in  heaven : and  she  goes  on  her  way,  never  misdoubt- 
ing of  her  strength,  and  she  succeeds  always,  sometimes 
by  conquering,  sometimes  by  persuading,  sometimes  by 
growing,  and  always,  at  least,  by  outliving  all  her  ene- 
mies. 

But  the  spirit  of  the  Sacred  Heart  is  the  life  of  the 
Church.  She  does  not  sit  still.  Unchangeable  as  she 
is,  she  clothes  herself  in  every  age  with  mutability ; and 
her  changes  are  akin  to  the  changes  of  the  restless  world 
itself.  She  goes  forth  to  seek  sinners.  She  speaks  to 
them  in  a language  which  they  well  understand.  She 
undermines  by  her  sweet  varieties  the  fortresses  which 
the  world  has  built  in  their  hearts,  and  which  are  im- 
pregnable to  all  but  her.  Thus  she  in  some  measure 
copies  the  times,  and  takes  the  world  for  her  model, 
that  she  may  the  better  conquer  it  for  Christ. 

If  this  be  so,  it  is  always  important  for  the  faithful  to 
understand  the  times  in  which  they  live.  They  must 
bring  new  things  with  the  old  out  of  their  treasures, 
as  our  blessed  Lord  expressed  it:  else  are  they  unskilful 
in  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  What,  then,  is 
the  spirit  of  our  own  age  ? It  can  hardly  be  mistaken  ; 
and  yet,  when  we  name  it,  we  cannot  help  thinking  it 
a spirit  seemingly  uncongenial  to  so  materialist  an  age. 
It  is  a spirit  of  enthusiasm.  It  may  be  doubted  if  ever 
men  were  more  enthusiastic  than  they  are  now.  The 
times  are  positively  made  up  of  enthusiasms.  They  are 
partly  material  and  partly  intellectual.  There  are  en- 
thusiasms in  science ; enthusiasms  in  literature  ; enthu- 
siasms in  politics ; enthusiasms  in  geographical  discovery ; 
and  enthusiasms  in  commerce.  All  men  are  at  work 
aiming  at  great  things,  believing  in  their  own  aims,  with 
all  their  souls,  minds,  and  hearts  in  their  endeavors 
They  spare  no  expense.  They  have  almost  infinite  per- 
sonal sacrifice  at  their  disposal.  The  impossible  seems 


PREFACE. 


Vll 


almost  fading  out  of  view.  Men  have  agreed  one  with 
another  that  there  is  no  impossible.  They  are  bent  on 
proving  it.  No  one  can  doubt  their  faith. 

This  is  the  lesson  the  world  is  reading  us  ; and  it  is 
also  precisely  the  lesson  which  the  life  of  St.  Francis 
Xavier  is  calculated  to  teach  us.  Among  the  countless 
enthusiasms  of  the  day,  why  not,  then,  an  enthusiasm 
of  being  all  for  God?  We  must  have  our  enthusiasm,  as 
other  men  have  theirs, — a sober,  steady,  business-like, 
persistent  enthusiasm  ; yet,  for  all  that,  a downright  en- 
thusiasm, a positive,  unmistakable  enthusiasm.  A piety 
which  is  content  to  shine  like  a star,  and  emit  edification, 
and  do  no  more;  a devotion  which  makes  itself  lukewarm 
in  order  to  be  practical ; an  energy  which  administers 
opiates  to  itself  in  order  to  enjoy  the  praise  of  placidity 
and  moderation  ; a strength  which  does  less  than  it 
could  do,  so  as  to  make  sure  of  not  doing  overmuch ; a 
prudence  which  consists  in  venturing  nothing ; a success 
which  never  fails,  because  it  makes  no  attempts, — these 
are  not  the  weapons  which  will  enable  us  to  cope  with 
the  enthusiasm  of  the  day.  They  are  not  adequate  to 
the  work  which  is  now  required  of  us.  We  also  must  be 
practical  enthusiasts, — such  enthusiasts  as  Xavier  was. 
He  is  the  type  of  Christian  enthusiasm.  It  is  not  easy 
to  conceive  a more  perfect  model  in  this  respect.  What 
men  now  are  for  physical  sciences,  new  branches  of  com- 
merce, and  political  novelties,  that  was  Xavier  for  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

But  where  does  Christian  enthusiasm  begin  ? And 
how  does  it  first  show  itself?  The  apostle  of  the  Indies 
will  teach  us  this  also.  It  begins  in  the  sanctification 
of  our  own  souls.  It  is  a fire  which  burns  inwardly 
before  it  burns  outwardly.  We  are  living  in  times 
of  extreme  effeminacy.  Comfort  is  the  order  of  the 
day.  The  relaxing  softness  of  domestic  ease,  of 
fashionable  voluptuousness,  of  sumptuous  tables,  of 
costly  varieties  of  dress,  of  luxurious  equipages,  of  mul- 
titudinous servants,  of  grand  furniture,  of  insidious 


Vlll 


PREFACE. 


mental  refinement,  of  inordinate  worship  of  health,  and 
of  ambitious  display, — these  things  are  the  prevailing 
characteristics  of  society.  Do  we  Catholics  stand  out 
from  all  this  corruption  in  any  distinguishable  way? 
Not  in  the  least.  Worldliness  is  corroding  us  in  every 
direction.  It  is  sad  to  see ; it  is  shameful  to  see  ! Oh, 
such  littleness,  such  niggard  alms,  such  petty  ambitions, 
such  a low  standard  of  holiness ! — and  yet  we  are  the 
descendants  of  those  for  whom  Hilton  and  Baker  wrote  ! 
and  yet  we  have  a nation  to  convert,  who  can  only  be 
converted  by  bur  holiness,  by  the  intensity  of  our 
prayers,  by  the  prodigality  of  our  munificence,  by  the 
severity  of  our  mortifications ! 

Xavier  shows  us  what  one  man  can  do  who  is  all  fox 
God,  who  has  begun  by  sanctifying  his  own  soul,  and 
who  then  keeps  within  his  own  appointed  sphere.  The 
very  sobriety  of  his  own  enthusiasm  kindles  his  fervor 
rather  than  stifles  it.  It  is  the  characteristic  of  his  en- 
thusiasm to  neglect  no  means  of  grace  ; and  he  finds  it 
an  especial  means  of  grace  to  live  in  an  unbelieving 
country.  It  quickens  his  faith  ; it  simplifies  his  hope  ; 
it  increases  his  charity.  His  zeal  is  being  animated  all 
day  long  by  the  sights  and  sounds  of  restless  misbelief. 
Here  is  his  example  for  us  in  England.  England  is  our 
Japan.  We  have  to  convert  it.  An  English  Catholic  may 
well  tremble  to  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
Christ,  who  has  not  spent  his  life,  up  to  downright  self- 
denial,  in  trying  to  convert  his  country.  It  is  the  one 
mission  given  him:  dare  he  go  to  God  without  having 
striven  to  fulfil  it  ? Alas ! he  must  go  to  God,  whether 
he  dare  or  not.  Many  have  so  gone  out  of  the  bosom  of 
all  this  modern  smoothness,  human  respect,  and  self- 
indulgence.  It  is  disconsolate  to  think  of  them.  We 
also  must  take  care.  They  were  praised  in  their  day  for 
not  proselytizing:  oh,  they  would  give  much  to  come 
back  to  earth  and  proselytize  now ! 

What,  then,  we  little  hearts  have  got  to  do  is  to  pray 
God  to  send  great  hearts  among  us.  We  want  enthu 


PREFACE. 


iz 


Blasts  like  Xavier.  We  do  not  so  much  need  churches 
of  brick  and  mortar,  or  even,  what  is  of  more  conse- 
quence than  churches,  great  material  schools,  or  news- 
papers, or  literature,  or  associations.  But  we  need  men, 
apostolic  flesh  and  blood,  heroes,  enthusiasts,  Xaviers, — 
men  mad  with  St.  Paul's  madness  and  drunk  with  the 
drunkenness  of  the  apostles  at  Pentecost.  It  is  not  so 
much  great  outward  actions  which  we  require,  as  a great 
fervor  and  a great  interior  spirit.  It  is  only  men  of  prayer 
who  dare  great  things  and  bring  great  enterprises  to  a suc- 
cessful issue.  Natural  activity  is  but  a weak  weapon.  It 
is  brittle  as  a straw.  It  is  impulsive,  and  not  steady.  It 
wants  the  steadfast  kindliness  of  real  supernatural  zeal. 
It  is  intermitting,  impetuous,  and  uncertain.  Neither  haa 
it  got  within  itself  the  root  of  perseverance.  We  want 
supernatural  men,  heroes  of  prayer,  rough-handed  foi 
assiduous  work  in  the  cause  of  God,  shunning  publicity, 
and  living  deep  down  in  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus. 
Men  of  many  plans  are,  for  the  most  part,  men  of  little 
power.  Xavier  was  a man  who  did  not  try  to  mould  hia 
work,  but  let  his  work  mould  him.  He  took  it  as  it  came. 
I know  no  lesson  which  is  more  marvellously  taught  by 
the  life  of  St.  Francis  Xavier  than  this: — how  few  plana 
he  had,  and  how  little  he  set  even  on  these  few ! 

Saints  are  often  made  by  reading  saints'  lives.  Let  us 
hope  that  something  of  this  grace  will  accompany  the 
reading  of  this  life.  It  has  a peculiar  interest  just  now, 
because  of  the  particular  circumstances  of  India.  We 
have  much  to  give  at  home, — so  much  as  to  be  almost 
above  our  means.  Yet  love  has  a quick  eye,  and  will 
soon  find  out  for  us,  if  we  search  into  our  own  lives, 
some  hitherto  unthought-of  self-denial,  which  we  can 
practise,  and  by  the  practice  of  which  we  can  help  India 
by  helping  more  munificently  the  work  of  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Faith.  But  still  England  is  our  grand  India; 
and  there  is  none  of  us,  however  humble  or  obscure  his 
station  may  be,  who  cannot  help  on  the  work  of  this 
poor  land's  conversion  more  than  at  first  he  dreams  of 


PREFACE. 


* 

Only  let  him  be  all  for  God.  Let  him  give  Jesus  an  un 
divided  heart.  Let  him  subject  himself  to  the  free  em- 
pire of  the  vigorous,  cheerful,  prompt,  elastic  spirit  of 
mortification.  Let  him  busy  himself  in  prayer.  It  haa 
been  recently  remarked  by  a very  keen  observer  that, 
during  the  last  twenty  years  in  England,  nearly  all  plana 
which  directly  concerned  the  salvation  of  souls  among 
us  have  been  singularly  blessed  with  a success  so  dispro- 
portioned  to  the  means  as  to  be  plainly  supernatural; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  grand  promising  plans  for 
other  Catholic  goods,  only  indirectly  connected  with  the 
salvation  of  souls,  have  as  strangely  and  as  invariably 
dwindled  from  their  promise,  and  have  withered  away  no 
one  knows  how.  If  this  be  so,  God  is  teaching  us  what 
he  wants  of  us.  We  had  better  concentrate  ourselves 
upon  it.  It  is  sad  work  to  be  working  outside  the  sphere 
of  a heavenly  benediction. 

It  is  with  these  thoughts  that  we  venture  to  call  you 
once  more  to  the  well-known  life  of  the  saintly  Xavier, 
to  learn  that  diotJiearted  prudence  which  is  the  special 
want  of  the  present  day.  When  we  look  at  the  map  of 
the  world  and  see  the  countries  which  St.  Francis  over- 
ran ; when  we  think  of  the  thousands  whom  he  bap- 
tized ; when  we  weigh  his  difficulties,  count  up  his 
failures,  follow  him  in  his  thankless  toils,  and  learn  feel- 
ingly to  estimate  his  disappointments,  we  are  amazed 
and  gladdened  also  while  we  are  amazed, — gladdened 
with  that  humility  which  inspirits  rather  than  depresses, 
ito  see  how  much  one  man  can  do,  to  whom  nature 
■has  given  an  enthusiastic  loving  heart,  and  grace  has 
added  the  magnificent  gift  of  being  simply,  always,  and 
only, — All  for  God. 

F.  W.  Faber. 


The  Oratory,  London, 

Feast  of  St.  Gregory,  the  Apostle  of  England. 
1858. 


CONTENTS. 


BOOK  THE  FIRST. 

?AOI 

Birth,  early  life,  studies,  and  conversion  of  St.  Francis  Xavier..  18 

Goes  to  Venice  with  his  companions 31 

Miraculously  cured  on  the  road 34 

Chosen  for  the  mission  of  the  Indies 50 

Goes  to  Lisbon 58 

Sails  from  thence 74 

Stops  at  Mozambique,  Socotora 80 

His  charity  and  zeal  during  the  voyage 82 

Arrives  at  Goa 91 

State  of  the  city 95 

His  labors  in  it 99 

Coast  of  the  Pearl  Fishery 104 

His  first  works  there 108 

Conversions . ...  109 

Divine  chastisement  of  an  idolater 114 

Pagods  of  India 115 

Brahmins. 118 

'Their  obduracy 120 

Conference  with  them 121 

Miracles 130 

Raising  the  dead 135 

Foundation  of  the  college  of  the  Society  at  Goa 139 

His  charity  toward  the  persecuted  Paravans 142 


xi 


CONTENTS. 


xii 

PAOI 

Converts  the  kingdom  of  Travancore 144 

Miraculously  repels  an  idolatrous  army 148 

He  raises  four  dead  to  life  in  Travancore 149 

Goes  to  Manar  and  Ceylon 156 

Martyrdom  of  the  new  converts 158 

Two  remarkable  prophecies 166 

Frees  the  isle  of  Manar  from  pestilence 169 

Conversions  there 170 

Goes  to  the  Celebes 171 

Conversions 171 

Goes  to  Meliapore 171 

Passes  a whole  week  without  food 171 

Foretells  a storm 172 

Ancient  records  of  St.  Thomas  the  apostle 173 

Assailed  openly  by  the  devils 175 

Quells  a storm  at  sea 182 

Relieves  a beggar  miraculously... 183 

Prophecies,  etc.  respecting  John  d’Eiro 


BOOK  THE  SECOND. 

Malacca 190 

Preternatural  knowledge  of  the  names  of  the  children 192 

How  he  spends  the  night  in  prayer. 193 

Miracles 194 

Converts  a rabbi 202 

Two  prophecies  on  the  voyage  from  Malacca  to  Amboyna 205 

The  Moluccas , 207 

His  labors 208 

Revelations 211 

Recovers  his  crucifix  miraculously 213 

Saves  the  King  of  Ulate,  baptizes  him  and  his  subjects 216 

Conversions  in  Ternate 219 

Goes  to  Moro  against  the  advice  of  his  friends 221 

A vision  of  the  massacre  of  some  Portuguese 227 

His  reception  in  the  isle  of  Moro i 228 


CONTENTS. 


xib 

PAoa 

Returns  to  the  Moluccas 231 

His  labors 232 

Goes  to  Amboyna 236 

His  wonderful  works 237 

Miracles  at  Malacca 240 

The  King  of  Acheen  assails  Malacca 244 

Letter  of  defiance 245 

Xavier  persuades  the  city  to  give  battle 247 

Obstacles  to  the  enterprise 248 

Its  results 249 

The  King  of  Viantein  comes  upon  Malacca 256 

)efeat  of  the  Acheens 261 

Whilst  preaching,  Xavier  sees  and  announces  the  distant  victory  265 

Returns  to  India,  calms  a storm 267 

Visits  Cochin  and  the  Fishery 269 

Advice  to  the  fathers  there 270 

His  deeds  in  Ceylon,  Bazaim,  and  Goa 276 

Conversion  of  a sinner 278 

Dreadful  tempest 302 

Other  dangers 302 

Miracles  in  Cochin... 303 

Conversion  and  virtue  of  three  Japanese 304 

First  idea  of  going  to  Japan 308 

Obstacles  overcome 309 

Goes  from  Goa  to  Malacca 312 

lssists  at  the  death  of  a man  in  despair 313 

[tails  to  Japan 322 

Dangers  of  the  voyage 323 

I is  arrival 3f 


BOOK  THE  THIRE 

Japan.  ,., 326 

Its  inhabitants  and  religion , 32f 

He  ie  received  by  the  lOng  of  Saxuma 331 

Prepares  himself  for  the  labor  of  converting  the  people Wfl 

2 


r 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

PA  01 

Gift  of  tongues 340 

Receives  permission  to  preach  the  faith 349 

First  conversions 350 

Miracles 358 

Raises  the  dead 358 

Persecution  of  the  bonzes 360 

Conversions,  &c.  at  the  fortress  of  Essiandono 365 

Goes  to  Firando 366 

He  and  his  companion  ill  treated  at  Amanguki 375 

Goes  to  Meaco 378 

Sufferings  on  the jouruey 378 

Returns  to  Amanguki 384 

One  answer  satisfies  many  questions 388 

Self  command  of  Brother  Fernandez 393 

Renewed  persecution  of  the  bonzes 396 

The  King  of  Bungo  invites  him  to  his  court 399 

His  reception  by  the  Portuguese  at  Figen 401 

His  introduction  to  the  king 411 

Wonderful  conversions 416 

Revolution  at  Amanguki 421 

Xavier's  parting  advice  to  the  King  of  Bungo 424 

Disputes  with  Fookarandono 427 

Generosity  of  Xavier 430 

Renewed  dispute  with  the  bonze 433 

The  after-career  of  the  King  of  Bungo 446 

Xavier  sails  from  Japan 449 

Dreadful  tempest 450 

Instance  of  bilocation 454 

Wonderful  preservation  of  the  ship’s  boat 456 

Calls  at  Sancian 457 

First  plan  of  converting  China 460 

Revelations  and  predictions 463 

Humility  and  love  of  peace  shown  at  Cochin 472 


BOOK  THE  FOURTH. 

Xavier's  welcome  reception  at  Malacca 475 

Letter  from  the  Bishop  of  Goa  to  St.  Ignatius 470 


CONTENTS.  XV 

PAftI 

Dismisses  Father  Gomez 477 

Chooses  his  companions  for  Chin-a * 482 

Raises  a dead  child 491 

Opposition  to  the  Chinese  embassy 494 

Persecution  of  the  saint  and  of  his  friend  Pereira 495 

Predictions 499 

His  last  departure  from  Malacca 501 

Another  instance  of  prophecy 502 

Changes  salt  water  into  fresh 504 

Restores  a drowned  child 505 

Conversion  of  Mohammedans 506 

Isle  of  Sancian 507 

Prediction  to  Peter  Vellio 511 

Other  miracles 513 

Measures  for  entering  China 516 

Obstacles 517 

His  last  trials 521 

Letters  before  his  death 523 

Last  illness  and  death 528 

His  burial 530 

A miraculous  crucifix  in  the  castle  of  Xavier 531 

Miraculous  preservation  of  his  body 532 

Its  removal  to  Malacca 533 

The  city  freed  from  pestilence 534 

The  ship  which  conveys  it  to  Goa  preserved  in  a storm 536 

Its  magnificent  reception  at  Goa 538 

One  arm  sent  to  Europe  and  saves  the  ship  from  pirates 542 

High  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  all  classes  and  sects 544 

Miracles  in  India  after  his  death 558 

Peramy 559 

Apparitions  of  the  Saint  after  death 568 

More  miracles  through  a medal  and  pictures. 574 

Of  his  sanctity 5S6 

His  raptures 587 

His  charity  or  love  of  God 492 

Desire  of  martyrdom 595 

Charity  toward  his  neighbor 599 

Zeal 603 

His  predicting  and  compositions 611 

Kings  converted  by  him 612 

Sinners  converted 617 


XVI 


CONTENTS 


PAGB 


His  penances  and  austerities 620 

His  humility 626 

His  poverty  and  obedience 631 

His  virginal  purity 632 

His  love  for  his  own  religious 634 

His  mode  of  government 648 


THE 


LIFE  OF  SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


Dealt  the  Jfirssf. 

No  sooner  had  the  Society  of  Jesus  found  birth 
in  Europe,  than  God  was  pleased  to  summon  it  to 
Asia,  there  to  be  employed,  not  in  the  toils  of  youth 
or  manhood,  but  in  the  labors  of  a giant.  Nu- 
merically insignificant  as  was  the  little  band  of  the 
first  ten  Fathers,  (of  whom  His  Holiness  Pope 
Paul  III.  soon  formed  a new  Religious  Order,)  they 
were  found  sufficient,  through  the  special  predilec- 
tion of  Almighty  God,  to  the  necessities  of  the  two 
most  distinguished  divisions  of  the  globe ; restor- 
ing Christian  piety  in  the  one,  and  planting  the 
Faith  in  the  other : so  true  it  is  that  virtue,  not 
numbers,  imparts  value  and  power  to  men.  And 
in  fact,  one  single  man,  full  of  spirit  and  vigor, 
like  Samson  or  Daniel,  is,  in  the  army  of  God, 
equivalent  to  ten  thousand  others  who  are  not  thus 
qualified. 

A man  of  this  stamp  was  Francis  Xavier,  one  of 
the  first  companions  of  Saint  Ignatius,  admirable 
in  the  eyes  of  the  very  idolaters,  men  without  laws, 
men  scarcely  human.  He  astonishes  us  by  the 
prodigious  length  of  his  land  journeys,  over  all- 
but  impassable  roads ; by  his  voyages  across  tern- 
B 2*  17 


18 


THE  LIFE  OF 


pestuous  seas ; by  his  enduring  patience  and  con- 
stancy amidst  continual  toil  and  suffering;  by  hi  a 
gift  of  tongues  in  such  a variety  of  barbarous 
nations;  by  his  stupendous  miracles;  by  the  ex- 
alted character  of  his  many  virtues;  by  convert- 
ing to  the  true  faith  such  innumerable  multitudes 
of  souls;  things  which  have  acquired  for  him  the 
glorious  surname  of  an  Apostle;  a title  first  con- 
ferred on  him  by  the  unanimous  consent  of  the 
people,  and  afterward  confirmed  by  Pontifical 
authority. 

Francis  Xavier  was  the  first  who  introduced  the 
Society  of  Jesus  into  the  East;  opening  the  path 
to  the  many  who  followed  his  footsteps;  less  as 
the  guide  of  their  journey,  than  as  their  model  of 
the  virtues  requisite  to  so  high  an  office  as  the 
Apostolate.  This  great  saint,  the  glory  of  the 
Society  of  Jesus,  and  the  bright  light  of  the 
Church,  sprung  in  legitimate  descent  from  the 
royal  blood  of  the  kings  of  Navarre,  as  we  are  in- 
formed by  credible  authors,  as  well  as  by  the  attes- 
tation made  by  Cardinal  Anthony  Zappata  in  his 
solemn  examination.  His  father  was  Don  John 
Giasso,  a jurisconsult  of  renown,  noble  both  in 
rank  and  virtue,  and  created  by  King  John  III., 
who  was  much  attached  to  him,  auditor  of  the 
royal  council.  The  saint's  mother  was  Donna 
Maria  d’Azpilqueta  and  Xavier,  two  of  the  most 
illustrious  families  in  the  kingdom.  As  this  lady 
was  the  last  remnant  of  the  family  of  Xavier,  and  as 
it  was  of  importance  to  perpetuate  the  name,  some 
of  her  sons  assumed  the  maternal  name  of  Xavier; 
Francis  was  one  of  these,  and  he  was  the  last  born 
of  a numerous  family.  His  mother  gave  birth  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  15 

this  child  of  benediction  in  the  castle  of  Xavier, 
distant  about  six  leagues  from  the  town  of  Pam* 
peluna  : this  castle  gave  its  name  to  the  family, 
which  abandoned  its  ancient  cognomen  of  Asuarez 
whon  King  Theobald  bestowed  the  territory  upon 
them. 

Father  Orasius  Torsellino,  who  was  the  first  to 
publish  his  life,  and  who  has  been  copied  by  sub- 
sequent biographers,  tells  us  that  he  was  born 
about  the  year  1497 ; but  it  must  be  owned  that 
on  this  point  Torsellino  and  his  followers  have  been 
mistaken.  The  error  was  occasioned  by  an  old 
family  manuscript,  where  it  was  negligently  noted 
down  that  he  was  believed  to  have  been  born  in 
that  year;  and  Torsellino  relied  on  this  informa- 
tion ; but  later,  when  fresh  researches  were  made 
in  the  family  archives,  the  same  manuscript  was 
found,  with  the  following  correction  written  in 
Spanish  on  the  margin : — “ The  holy  Father  Francis 
Xavier  was  born  on  the  7th  of  April,  1506.”  And 
the  same  notice  was  found  in  the  manual  of  his  bro- 
ther, Captain  John  Azpilqueta,  who  copied  it  from 
a book  belonging  to  their  father,  Don  John  Giasso. 
This  latter  opinion  would  appear  the  most  proba- 
ble, because,  as.  the  saint  finished  his  course  of 
philosophy  in  1530,  this  date  would  bring  him, 
according  to  his  earliest  biographers,  to  the  thirty- 
third  year  of  his  age,  which  we  can  scarcely  sup- 
pose to  have  been  the  case : a man  of  his  powerful 
intellect  and  uninterrupted  application  to  study 
would  surely  have  been  more  advanced  at  the  age 
of  thirty-three:  however  this  may  be,  the  reader 
who  wishes  for  more  exact  information  on  the  sub- 
ject may  consult  the  work  entitled  Petri  Posini , t 


20 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Societate  Jesu,  de  anno  natali  S.  Francisci  Saverii 
dissertatio. 

Divine  Providence,  having  selected  Francis  as  an 
instrument  for  the  promotion  of  . His  glory,  en- 
dowed him  with  such  prerogatives  of  soul  and  body 
as  would  enable  him  to  succeed  in  the  greatest  en- 
terprises. He  was  gifted  with  a strong,  active 
mind,  with  an  ardent  desire  of  literary  excellence: 
differing  in  this  respect  materially  from  his  brothers, 
who,  like  their  illustrious  ancestors,  devoted  them- 
selves to  the  military  career.  He  was  naturally 
docile,  affable,  and  good-tempered,  magnanimous, 
and  somewhat  haughty;  of  strictly  pure  morals, 
and  of  noble,  yet  engaging  aspect,  well  calculated 
to  win  the  esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  asso- 
ciated. His  parents,  who  were  both  remarkably 
pious,  studiously  endeavored  to  form  their  chil- 
dren to  habits  of  early  virtue,  especially  little 
Francis,  whom  they  called  their  Benjamin.  It  was 
less  their  object  to  make  him  a noble  cavalier,  than 
a worthy  Christian ; and  perceiving,  when  he  had 
finished  his  course  of  Humanities,  that  he  was  in- 
clined to  pursue  his  studies  through  the  higher 
sciences,  they  sent  him  to  the  then  famous  Univer- 
sity of  Paris,  hoping  that  he  would  illustrate  his 
family  by  his  success  in  literary  attainments,  as 
much  as  his  nearer  relatives  had  done  by  their 
daring  feats  of  arms.  Nor  were  his  friends  dc 
ceived  in  their  expectations ; for  on  his  arrival  in 
Paris  he  entered  the  college  of  S.  Barbara,  and 
after  completing  his  Philosophy,  he  received  the 
degree  of  Master,  and  immediately  began  to  teach 
with  great  applause. 

It  would  certainly  seem  little  less  than  miracu- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


21 


lous  how  this  young  man,  naturally  ardent  and 
impetuous,  can  have  preserved  his  virginal  inno- 
cence in  the  midst  of  such  unbridled  license,  and 
of  such  profligate  companions,  with  which  the 
university  then  abounded : temptations  of  the  most 
dangerous  nature  were  resorted  to  in  order  to  en- 
trap him  : even  his  master  was  in  the  habit  of  con- 
ducting his  scholars  to  abodes  of  vice;  but  never 
could  he  prevail  on  Don  Francis  to  be  the  com- 
panion of  their  nocturnal  revels.  Close  compa- 
nionship with  Peter  Faber  probably  contributed 
much  to  the  preservation  of  his  innocence;  the 
two  shared  the  same  lodging  in  the  college  of 
Saint  Barbara.  Faber  was  of  lowly  parentage, 
belonging  to  the  neighborhood  of  Geneva:  after 
studjdng  Latin  and  Greek  he  resolved  to  try  bis 
fortune  in  the  University  of  Paris.  It  was  a sub- 
ject of  surprise  to  many  to  see  the  haughty  spirit 
of  Don  Francis  seeking  to  bind  itself  in  confidential 
familiarity  with  the  humble  Savoyard;  we  shall, 
perhaps,  find  the  key  to  this  secret  in  the  high  in- 
tellectual powers  and  in  the  distinguished  virtue  of 
Peter  Faber.  At  the  early  age  of  twelve  years  he 
consecrated  his  chastity  to  God  by  vow;  and  amidst 
the  dissolute  profligacy  of  Paris  he  aspired  only  to 
piety  and  perfection,  leading  the  life  of  a cloistered 
religious. 

For  the  complement  of  the  graces  destined  to 
Don  Francis,  God  was  pleased  to  conduct  Saint 
Ignatius,  of  Loyola,  from  Spain  to  Paris,  who,  a 
few  years  before,  had  been  converted,  and,  having 
abandoned  the  army  of  his  country,  had  thrown 
himself,  heart  and  soul,  into  the  militia  of  Jesus 
Christ.  The  motives  which  had  led  the  saint  to 


22 


THE  LIFE  OF 


this  celebrated  academy  were  not  only  the  greater 
facilities  for  progress  in  his  studies,  but  also  the 
chances  of  collecting  a chosen  band  of  young  men 
suited  to  the  sublime  enterprise  which  he  had  in 
view.  Singularly  enough,  he  became  the  fellow- 
lodger  of  Xavier  and  Faber,  and,  discerning  in  both 
of  them  admirable  natural  dispositions  to  virtue, 
he  deemed  them  fitted  to  his  purpose.  He  had 
little  or  no  difficulty  in  gaining  Faber,  already 
easily  accessible  to  the  impressions  of  grace.  One 
day  he  disclosed  to  him  his  own  intentions  of 
devoting  himself  entirely  to  the  conversion  of  souls. 
This  was  quite  enough  for  the  good  youth,  who 
immediately  offered  to  become  his  follower;  where- 
upon the  saint,  taking  him  to  a retired  spot,  ap- 
plied him  to  the  Spiritual  Exercises , a work  com- 
posed by  himself  in  the  grotto  of  Manreza,  in 
the  first  year  of  his  conversion,  and  in  the  compo- 
sition of  which  he  had  been  materially  assisted  by 
the  great  Mother  of  God  herself.  Indescribable 
was  the  fervor  derived  by  Faber  in  these  new 
lessons  of  the  most  sublime  of  all  sciences : suffice 
it  to  say,  he  spent  several  successive  days  without 
tasting  any  other  food  than  the  manna  of  Paradise. 
That  the  aspect  of  the  heavens  might  the  better 
raise  his  soul  to  God,  he  used,  in  the  depth  of  win- 
ter, as  it  then  was,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  night, 
to  kneel  for  many  hours  praying  in  an  open  court, 
so  that  he  was  often  covered  with  icicles.  He  had 
provided  a small  heap  of  fuel  against  the  excess- 
ive rigor  of  the  season;  but  being  warmed  by  a 
better  fire,  he  only  used  his  bundle  of  charcoal  as 
a couch,  on  which  he  nightly  allowed  himself  a 
few  hours  of  what  we  scarcely  know  whether  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


23 


call  torture  or  repose.  He  would  have  carried 
these  austerities  to  excess,  had  not  the  saintly 
master  moderated  the  indiscreet  fervor  of  his 
novice-scholar.  Thus  did  Ignatius  make  the  con- 
quest of  Faber,  who  afterward  signalized  himself 
by  his  noble  deeds  in  Germany,  and  proved  him- 
self truly  the  worthy  first-born  of  his  illustrious 
spiritual  Father. 

But  not  so  easily  could  he  work  on  the  soil  of 
Don  Francis,  where  earthly  hopes  and  expecta- 
tions of  literary  renown  had  taken  deep  root. 
His  natural  talents  certainly  justified  his  own  ex- 
pectations and  those  of  his  family.  The  pene- 
trating eye  of  Ignatius  saw  how  glorious  such  prey 
would  prove  to  the  Church;  whereupon  his  zeal 
became  anxious  and  active.  He  constantly  prayed 
with  abundance  of  tears;  he  macerated  his  body 
with  the  severest  austerities;  and  neglected  no 
opportunity  of  assailing  the  soul  of  his  companion 
by  the  adroit  application  of  appropriate  texts  of 
Holy  Writ.  But  these  well-aimed  blows  proved 
powerless;  for  the  mind  of  the  generous  young 
man  was  full  of  chivalrous  notions,  and  being,  as 
yet,  unlettered  in  the  school  of  Christ,  he  disdained 
Ignatius  and  his  sayings,  ascribing  to  meanness  of 
spirit  his  humble  demeanor  and  his  mode  of  living 
only  on  alms.  The  wise  and  holy  patriarch  found 
that  he  must  have  recourse  to  other  weapons;  and 
perceiving  that  Francis  was  ambitious  of  intellectual 
display,  he^resolved  to  catch  him  in  his  own  net. 
He  began  to  show  the  greatest  interest  in  his.  suc- 
cess, praising  his  acquirements  on  all  occasions, 
procuring  him  new  scholars,  and  even  following 
his  lectures  himself.  This  disinterested  conduct 


THE  LIFE  OF 


?A 

quite  changed  the  opinion  of  Francis  with  regard 
to  Ignatius.  He  could  not  but  own  to  himself  that 
Ignatius  was  likewise  of  noble  birth,  had  been 
educated  at  court,  had  distinguished  himself  in  the 
army,  and  had  been  laden  with  honors ; there- 
fore, in  all  probability,  his  present  humble  deport- 
ment, so  far  from  being  the  result  of  mean-spirit- 
edness, was,  in  effect,  the  best  fruit  of  a mind 
superior  to  all  earthly  things. 

No  sooner  had  Ignatius  thus  conciliated  the 
esteem  and  love  of  his  companion,  than  he  easily 
and  efficaciously  set  his  own  battery  to  work: 
over  and  over  again  did  he  assail  him  with  this 
powerful  sentence,  which  originally  proceeded  from 
the  lips  of  the  divine  Redeemer: — “What  will  it 
avail  a man  to  gain  the  whole  world,  if  he  lose 
his  own  soul  ?”  Adding  such  reflections  as  his 
ardent  heart  suggested.  On  one  of  these  occa- 
sions, he  insisted  so  opportunely  and  so  energeti- 
cal^ on  this  text,  so  clearly  demonstrating  the 
importance  of  everlasting  salvation,  and  the  vanity 
of  all  worldly  designs,  that  Francis,  unable  any 
longer  to  resist  the  impulse  of  grace,  was  obliged 
to  yield;  and  accordingly  placed  himself  in  the 
hands  of  Ignatius,  to  be  fashioned  as  he  pleased. 

And  let  us  here  remind  those  who  profess  zeal 
for  souls,  of  the  value  they  should  attach  to  this 
emphatic  question  of  the  gospel,  “What  will  it 
avail,  etc.”  It  is  certain  that  our  Apostle,  who 
had  himself  experienced  the  effects  of  it,  constantly 
made  use  of  it,  and  wrought  many  wonderful  con- 
versions by  means  of  it.  In  one  of  his  letters, 
written  from  the  Indies  to  Father  Simon  Rodri- 
guez in  Portugal,  he  expresses  an  earnest  desire 


8A1NT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


25 


that  this  great  maxim  of  our  Lord  should  be  en- 
graven in  the  heart  of  King  John  III.,  saying,  “If 
I could  but  flatter  myself  that  the  king  would  take 
my  dutiful  advice  in  good  part,  I would  beseech 
him  to  meditate  daily  for  a quarter  of  an  hour  on 
this  divine  sentence,  What  will  it  profit  a man  to  gain 
the  whole  world , if  he  lose  his  own  soul  ? And  1 
would  exhort  him  to  beseech  Almighty  God  to  give 
him  a right  understanding  of  it,  together  with  a 
sincere  affection  of  soul;  nor  could  I wish  him  to 
put  any  better  conclusion  to  all  his  prayers  than 
this,  What  will  it  profit  a man,  etc.” 

Don  Francis  being  now  completely  changed,  as 
we  may  say,  into  a new  man,  found  no  greater 
delight  than  in  frequently  conversing  on  spiritual 
matters  with  Saint  Ignatius;  growing  strong  in 
virtue  by  the  nourishment  derived  therefrom.  But 
the  infernal  enemy,  who  dreaded  the  conjunction 
of  two  such  brilliant  planets,  devised  a cruel 
scheme  of  separation,  by  taking  the  life  of  Igna- 
tius; and  he  would  surely  have  succeeded,  if  God 
had  not  interposed  his  arm  : the  case  was  this. 
Don  Francis  had  for  some  time  had  in  his  service 
a man  named  Michael  Navarro,  base  both  in  blood 
and  manners;  who,  suspecting  that  his  master  was 
intending  to  retire  totally  from  the  world,  con- 
ceived the  most  inveterate  hatred  against  Igna- 
tius, as  the  cause  of  it  all.  Watching  his  oppor- 
tunity, one  day,  when  the  saint  was  alone  in  his 
room,  Michael  stealthily  ascended  the  stairs,  deter- 
mined to  kill  him  with  a cutlass  which  he  carried 
with  him  for  the  purpose;  but  on  approaching  the 
chamber-door,  he  heard  a terrible  voice  exclaim, 
“Whither  art  thou  going,  wretched  man?  What 


THE  LIFE  OF 


art  thou  about  ?”  Astounded  at  the  threatening 
accent  from  heaven,  the  man  lost  all  his  audacity, 
and  fell  trembling  on  his  knees  at  the  feet  of  the 
holy  man,  acknowledging  his  wicked  design,  and 
begging  forgiveness,  which  he  easily  obtained. 

Though  defeated  in  his  first  attempt,  the  devil 
planned  another;  persuading  Don  John,  Xavier’s 
father,  to  recall  him  from  Paris,  under  the  plea 
that  further  residence  there  was  mere  loss  of  time, 
and  detrimental  to  his  future  fame.  Don  John 
had  actually  determined  to  recall  his  son,  when  he 
received  a letter  from  his  daughter  Donna  Mary 
Magdalen;  who,  after  spending  her  early  years 
amidst  the  ladies  of  her  Catholic  Majesty’s  court, 
renounced  all  earthly  hopes  in  the  bright  bloom  of 
life,  and  assumed  the  religious  habit  in  the  convent 
of  the  bare-footed  poor  Clares  at  Gandia;  where 
she  lived  like  a saint,  favored  by  our  Lord  with  his 
most  special  caresses.  This  is  not  the  proper  place 
to  dilate  on  the  heroic  virtues  of  this  illustrious 
lady;  nevertheless,  her  close  affinity  with  Francis, 
and  her  interference  in  his  behalf  on  the  present  oc- 
casion, would  seem  to  justify  a slight  expression  of 
our  gratitude,  by  the  following  account  of  her  pre- 
cious death, — a fitting  close  to  such  a welhspent  life. 
Whilst  she  was  governing  the  convent  at  Gandia, 
in  quality  of  Abbess,  Almighty  God  was  pleased  to 
reveal  to  her  that  he  shortly  intended  calling  her 
to  glory,  and  that  her  death  would  be  most  calm 
and  sweet ; adding,  however,  that  another  certain 
nun  would  die  at  the  same  time,  in  dreadful  suffer- 
ing and  anguish.  The  good  Superior,  acting  the 
part  of  a tender  mother,  spent  several  days  in 
prayer,  beseeching  our  Lord  to  change  the  lots, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  27 

and  to  bestow  on  her  spiritual  daughter  the  conso- 
lations of  his  right  hand ; discharging  the  chas- 
tisements of  his  left  hand  upon  herself.  Our  Lord 
was  pleased  with  the  request  of  his  servant ; and  in 
another  revelation,  assured  her  that  it  was  granted, 
as  she  expressly  told  a confidential  friend,  who 
afterward  witnessed  the  verification  of  the  asser- 
tion. In  fact,  the  said  nun  was  favored  with  so 
happy  a death,  that  she  seemed  merely  to  have 
fallen  asleep  on  the  bosom  of  her  God;  whereas 
the  holy  Abbess  was  assailed  with  excruciating 
torture,  so  that  it  seemed  as  if  her  body  was  torn 
in  a thousand  pieces.  The  sisters  who  surrounded 
her  bed,  wept  with  compassion  at  the  sight  of  her 
sufferings;  she  alone  remained  cheerful;  fervent 
and  generous  to  the  last,  till,  consumed  as  a holo- 
caust of  charity,  she  expired,  bequeathing  to  her 
community  an  exquisite  example  of  perfection. 
Now,  whilst  Don  John  was  planning  the  return  of 
his  son  from  Paris,  God  disclosed  to  His  spouse  at 
Gandia,  His  high  designs  over  her  brother.  Where- 
upon the  devout  daughter  of  S.  Clare  immediately 
wrote  to  her  father,  entreating  him  on  no  account 
to  remove  Don  Francis  from  the  University  of 
Paris,  “ because/’  as  she  expressly  says,  “God  has 
destined  him  to  be  the  Apostle  of  a new  world,  to 
the  great  glory  of  His  name,  and  to  the  increase 
of  holy  church. ” This  advice,  given  by  a daughter 
whom  the  father  venerated  as  a saint,  was  sufficient 
to  make  him  change  his  opinion,  and  leave  the  en- 
tire disposal  of  his  son  to  the  dispensations  of 
Divine  Providence.  The  letter  of  this  servant  of 
God  was  long  preserved  in  the  family  archives, 
and  was  seen  and  read  by  many,  who  attested  it 


28 


THE  LIFE  OF 


on  oath  in  the  juridical  processes.  Francis  being 
left  to  his  studies,  and  to  the  culture  of  Ignatius, 
was  by  him  applied  to  the  Spiritual  Exercises,  the 
furnace  in  which  he  was  accustomed  to  purify  and 
refine  his  chosen  vessels.  Here  the  spirit  of  the 
fervent  young  man  began  to  show  itself  in  severe 
austerities;  for  the  first  four  days  he  did  not 
allow  himself  so.  much  as  a mouthful  of  bread ; 
caring  only  to  nourish  his  soul  with  the  more 
solid  food  of  meditation,  in  which  he  luxuriated,  as 
we  may  say,  day  and  night.  As  to  the  manner  in 
which  he  for  the  first  time  made  the  Spiritual 
Exercises,  we  find  in  some  old  memoranda  belong- 
ing to  the  earliest  days  of  the  Society,  that  he 
used  to  place  himself  in  prayer  with  his  hands  and 
feet  tightly  bound  with  cords;  either  to  signify 
that  he  appeared  before  God  as  a slave  ready  to 
execute  his  commands,  without  reserving  to  him- 
self the  liberty  of  moving  hand  or  foot,  otherwise 
than  according  to  the  divine  will ; or  else  to  show 
that  he  looked  upon  himself  as  the  unworthy 
man,  who,  when  invited  to  the  marriage  feast, 
ventured  to  appear  there  without  the  nuptial  gar- 
ment; in  consequence  of  which,  so  far  from  being 
admitted  to  the  favor  of  the  prince,  he  was  first 
bound  hand  and  foot,  and  then  cast  into  exterior 
darkness. 

This  retreat  completely  changed  Francis  into 
another  man;  and  from  having  formerly  been  full 
of  the  world,  he  was  now  full  of  God;  nor  had  he, 
from  this  time  forward,  any  other  desire,  pleasure, 
or  pretension,  than  that  of  serving  God,  and  glorify- 
ing him  alone. 

In  the  mean  time,  in  addition  to  Faber  and 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


29 


Xavier,  Ignatius  had  gained  four  more  companions 
belonging  to  the  university;  all  of  them  distin- 
guished for  talent,  learning,  virtue,  and  good  con- 
nections : all  of  them  were  resolved  on  dedicating 
themselves  unreservedly  to  the  service  of  God,  by 
imitating  the  life  of  Christ,  though  as  yet  no  par- 
ticular form  of  life  had  been  decided  upon.  S.  Ig- 
natius, more  enlightened  than  the  rest,  proposed 
that  they  should  all  bind  themselves  to  the  cross, 
by  the  vows  of  perpetual  chastity  and  voluntary 
poverty,  renouncing  whatever  they  possessed,  and 
casting  themselves  wholly  in  the  arms  of  Divine 
Providence.  As  charity  is  like  a fire,  converting 
into  fire  all  that  is  thrown  upon  it,  so  did  fraternal 
love  impel  them  to  add  another  vow,  namely,  of 
repairing  to  the  Holy  Land,  there  to  labor  in  the 
conversion  of  the  infidels.  To  them,  this  seemed 
a beautiful  field,  well  worthy  of  cultivation ; and 
happy  would  they  deem  themselves  if,  in  addition 
to  their  toil  and  sweat,  they  might  be  called  upon 
to  give  their  blood  in  the  same  place  where  Christ 
our  Lord  shed  his  for  us.  The  proposal  of  Ignatius 
was  extremely  gratifying  to  them  all,  especially 
to  Francis.  After  much  prayer,  and  much  consul- 
tation between  themselves,  it  was  unanimously 
agreed,  that  in  the  event  of  their  being  unable  to 
pass  over  to  the  Holy  Land,  after  waiting  a whole 
year  at  Venice,  they  were  then  to  go  to  Rome, 
and  offer  their  services  to  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  to 
be  employed  as  he  pleased,  without  pretending  to, 
or  accepting,  any  remuneration  whatever.  Having 
come  to  this  decision,  they  resolved  on  carrj  ing  it 
into  effect  on  the  near  approaching  festival  of  our 
Blessed  Lady’s  glorious  Assumption  ; each  one  pre- 
3* 


30 


THE  LIFE  OF 


paring  himself  according  to  his  actual  measure  of 
grace  and  fervor,  by  means  of  prolonged  prayer, 
fasting  every  day,  and  other  penitential  works. 
They  chose  for  the  purpose  a retired  church,  at 
about  half  a league’s  distance  from  Paris,  called 
Our  Lady  of  Montmartre,  a place  of  great  devotion, 
consecrated  to  the  memory  of  Saint  Denis  or  Dio- 
nysius. Here,  on  the  15th  of  August,  1534,  being 
all  assembled,  Peter  Faber,  the  only  one  as  yet  a 
priest,  celebrated  Holy  Mass.  At  the  Communion, 
he  turned  from  the  altar,  and  as  he  held  the  sacred 
body  of  our  Lord  in  his  hand,  they  all  of  them,  in 
rotation,  pronounced  aloud,  amidst  sweet  tears  of 
devotion,  their  vows  of  poverty,  chastity,  and  of 
repairing  to  the  Holy  Land  in  the  manner  before 
described.  This  day  was  ever  afterward  looked 
upon  by  them  as  the  birthday  of  the  Society,  the 
members  of  which  consider  it  a special  favor  that 
their  Institute  thus  sprung  into  existence  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Queen  of  heaven. 

Eagerly  as  they  looked  forward  to  their  depart- 
ure for  Palestine,  it  was,  nevertheless,  deemed 
advisable  to  remain  some  time  longer  in  Paris,  in 
order  that  such  of  them  as  had  not  yet  completed 
their  course  of  theology,  might  be  enabled  to  do 
so;  for  Ignatius  was  well  convinced  that  they  be- 
came more  fitting  instruments  in  the  hands  of 
God,  and  more  likely  to  convert  souls,  when 
endowed  with  wisdom  and  learning. 

Francis  resumed  his  studies,  with  no  other  view 
than  that  of  the  divine  honor;  worldly  glory  no 
longer  had  charms  for  him,  and  it  was  now  his 
grand  aim  to  unite  speculative  with  practical 
theology:  he  avoided  company  and  conversation, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  31 

spending  much  time  in  prayer,  and  punishing  his 
body  with  various  austerities;  he  frequently  dis- 
coursed with  his  pious  companions  on  heavenly 
topics;  and,  together  with  them,  annually  renewed 
the  same  vows,  in  the  same  place  where  they  had 
been  first  offered,  so  long  at  least  as  they  remained 
in  Paris. 

Business  compelled  Ignatius  to  separate  from 
his  beloved  sons,  and  return  to  Spain ; before  his 
departure,  they  agreed  to  meet  all  together  again 
in  Venice  for  the  25th  of  January,  1537.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  arrangement,  two  months  before 
the  date  prefixed,  they  set  out  on  foot,  in  the  garb 
of  poor  pilgrims,  with  staff  in  hand,  each  one 
carrying  his  own  bundle  of  writings,  &c.  on  his 
shoulders,  taking  the  direction  to  Venice.  They 
were  nine  in  number;  for  to  the  six  gained  by 
Ignatius,  the  zeal  of  Faber  had  added  three  others, 
all  masters  of  theology,  and  two  of  them  already 
priests. 

As  they  were  on  the  point  of  starting  from 
Paris,  Francis  received  information  that  his  family 
had  just  secured  a rich  and  noble  benefice  for  him; 
but  his  generous  heart,  which  would  have  cast  a 
whole  world  at  the  foot  of  the  crucifix,  so  far  from 
accepting  the  offer,  would  not  so  much  as  give  it 
a second  thought. 

These  blessed  pilgrims  walked  along  with  such 
modesty  as  to  excite  the  devotion  of  all  who  met 
them.  They  thus  divided  their  day;  in  the  morn- 
ing before  they  left  their  last  lodging,  and  in  the 
evening  as  soon  as  they  reached  their  next  lodg- 
ing, they  all  knelt  down  together,  and  spent  a con- 
siderable time  in  prayer*  such  of  them  as  were 


32 


THE  LIFE  OF 


priests  said  mass,  when  the  others  communicated : 
the  rest  of  the  day  was  spent  in  travelling;  some- 
times they  meditated  as  they  went  on,  sometimes 
they  conversed  together  on  pious  subjects,  and 
sometimes  they  sang  or  recited  psalms,  hymns,  or 
other  prayers.  So  scanty  was  their  allowance  of 
food,  that  they  may  be  said  to  have  observed  a 
perpetual  fast. 

War  was  then  going  on  between  the  emperor 
Charles  Y.,  and  Francis  I.,  King  of  France;  and 
as  the  former  had  entered  Provence  at  the  head  of 
a powerful  army,  our  pilgrims  thought  it  better 
not  to  take  the  usual  road  to  Italy  through  Pro- 
vence, but  to  cross  Germany,  and  thus  escape 
meeting  the  imperial  troops.  Our  Lord  would 
caress  his  servants  during  their  journey,  by  giving 
them  many  opportunities  of  suffering.  Through- 
out Lorraine  they  were  deluged  with  heavy 
showers;  in  Germany  the  cold  was  excessive,  and 
the  snow  so  deep  that  they  were  sometimes  de- 
tained for  two  or  three  days  till  the  roads  became 
passable:  but  it  was  heresy  that  gave  them  most 
of  all  to  suffer,  as  well  as  to  merit.  Each  one  wor^ 
his  rosary  hanging  round  his  neck;  and  as  they 
passed  through  any  town  or  village  inhabited  by 
heretics,  the  people  ran  to  insult  this  symbol  of 
their  religion:  sometimes  the  novel  preachers 
would  challenge  them  to  disputation;  and  when 
overpowered  by  the  superior  reasoning  of  our 
travellers,  they  indemnified  themselves  for  their 
discomfiture  by  having  recourse  to  personal  vio- 
lence and  insult,  as  is  usual  with  people  of  this 
stamp.  In  a certain  village  near  Constance,  one 
of  these  ministers  was  most  signally  defeated, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


33 


whereupon  he  swore  vengeance  in  his  rage ; and 
such  was  his  well-knowrn  character,  that  accord- 
ing to  the  opinion  of  his  own  flock,  he  would  cer- 
tainly have  carried  his  threats  into  execution,  if  a 
stranger  (who,  there  was  every  reason  to  believe, 
was  an  angel  sent  by  our  good  Lord  to  rescue 
them)  had  not  opportunely  offered  to  become  their 
guide.  He  took  them  through  paths  where  not  a 
creature  wras  to  be  seen;  and,  strange  to  say, 
whilst  all  the  surrounding  country  was  buried  in 
snow,  their  road  was  perfectly  free  and  clear: 
having  conducted  them  thus  for  several  miles,  he 
left  them  safe  on  the  highroad,  took  leave  of  them, 
and  suddenly  disappeared. 

But  the  penances  and  trials  common  to  them 
all,  seemed  as  nothing  to  the  generosity  of  Francis, 
whose  inventive  mind  discovered  a new  mode  of 
self-torture.  Before  he  left  Paris,  he  had  been  re- 
flecting on  the  proceedings  of  his  previous  life, 
and  recollected  that  he  had  taken  great  pleasure 
and  some  pride  in  dancing,  for  which  his  fine 
figure  and  lively  disposition  well  qualified  him. 
Besoived  to  avenge  this  juvenile  levity,  or  vanity, 
(which  we  may  not  unreasonably  presume  to  have 
been  the  most  grievous  excess  of  his  innocent  life,) 
he  tightly  bound  his  arms  and  the  calves  of  his 
legs  with  small  hard  cords,  which  he  took  care  to 
knot  in  several  places.  By  degrees,  and  by  the 
exercise  of  walking,  these  cords  soon  cut  through 
the  skin  and  penetrated  the  flesh:  inflammation 
wras  the  natural  consequence,  and  ulceration 
ensued;  in  a short  time,  the  strings  sank  in  so 
deeply,  as  to  be  no  longer  perceptible.  Although 
the  saintly  wayfarer  suffered  a martyrdom  at 
C 


34 


THE  LIFE  OF 


every  step,  he  courageously  concealed  his  pain, 
and  kept  pace  with  the  rest;  until,  at  length, 
being  unable  to  stand,  he  was  obliged  to  discover 
his  state,  which  he  did  with  much  blushing.  They 
were  horrified  when  the}?  beheld  the  dreadful 
cruelty  he  had  inflicted  on  himself;  and  raising 
him  in  their  arms  they  earned  him  as  gently  as 
they  could  to  a neighboring  hamlet,  and  imme- 
diately summoned  a surgeon;  who  had  no  sooner 
examined  the  limbs  than  be  at  once  saw  the 
extreme  difficult}?  of  cutting  the  cords  without 
cutting,  at  the  same  time,  some  important  nerve, 
thus  exposing  the  patient  to  a painful  and  inevi- 
table death  : distrusting  his  own  skill,  he  would 
on  no  account  risk  his  professional  reputation  on 
so  perilous  a case.  Being  thus  abandoned  by 
human  resource,  Francis  was  left  entirely  to  the 
mercy  of  that  Lord,  for  whose  sake  he  had  in- 
flicted this  cruel  martyrdom  on  himself ; nor  was 
Heaven  backward  in  responding  to  the  appeal 
now  made  to  it  for  aid.  Francis  was  left  at  night 
to  take  what  rest  his  suffering  state  permitted, 
and  in  the  morning  the  cords  were  found  broken 
in  little  pieces,  dispersed  about  the  bed;  the  flesh, 
which  a few  hours  before  was  all  swollen  and  dis- 
eased, was  now  quite  sound  and  healthy,  without 
so  much  as  a scar  remaining  to  show  where  the 
wounds  had  been  : so  perfect  was  the  cure,  that 
the  sjck  man  was  able,  that  very  same  morning, 
to  rise  in  robust  health  and  pursue  his  journey,  as 
he  and  his  companions  did,  after  returning  due 
thanks  to  God  for  so  great  a favor. 

The  little  band  reached  Venice  on  the  8th  of 
January,  1537  : it  would  be  difficult  to  say  whether 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  3o 

the  sons  rejoiced  most  in  again  meeting  their  holy 
father,  or  the  holy  father  in  again  embracing  his 
beloved  sons.  To  give  them  a little  rest,  but  a 
rest  agreeable  to  their  fervor,  Ignatius  divided 
them  between  the  two  chief  hospitals  of  Venice, 
that  of  the  Incurables  and  that  of  Saints  John  and 
Paul , places  where  each  one  might  signalize  his 
charity.  The  hospital  of  the  Incurables  fell  to 
the  share  of  Francis,  whose  delight  was  well  ex- 
pressed in  his  beaming  countenance.  Promptly 
did  he  undertake  his  task,  looking  upon  everj^  one 
of  his  wretched  patients  as  he  would  upon  Christ 
himself.  It  was  his  delight  to  raise  them  in  his 
arms,  to  dress  their  wounds,  to  wash  and  cleanse 
them.  Nothing  could  repulse  him : he  watched 
by  them  through  the  entire  night  sometimes; 
cheered  and  animated  them  with  his  pious  dis- 
course, prepared  them  for  death,  and  when  dead,  dis- 
posed their  bodies  for  burial  himself.  Iiis  charity 
frequently  drew  tears  of  devotion  from  those  who 
witnessed  it.  Once  only  was  he  tempted  to  forget 
his  generosity  of  purpose.  He  was  dressing  an 
imposthume  of  a more  than  usually  loathsome 
description, — in  fact,  it  was  horrid  and  sickening 
to  the  sight, — his  stomach  turned,  and  his  every 
sense  recoiled  against  the  undertaking.  This 
rebellion  of  nature  cost  him  much,  and  the  saintly 
young  man  was  determined  to  chastise  himself 
according  to  his  own  spirit  of  true  fervor  : encour- 
aging himself  to  the  utmost,  he  stooped  down, 
kissed  the  pestilent  cancer,  licked  it  several  times 
with  his  tongue,  and  finally  sucked  out  the  viru- 
lent matter  to  the  last  drop  ! Our  Lord  did  not 
fail  to  reward  so  heroical  an  act,  and  from  thence- 


36 


THE  LIFE  OF 


forward  any  wound,  how  disgusting  soever  it 
might  be,  far  from  occasioning  him  any  nauseous 
feeling,  was  rather  agreeable  and  consoling  to 
him. 

Whilst  they  were  thus  employing  themselves, 
the  winter  passed  away,  and,  as  the  spring  ad- 
vanced, Ignatius  decided  on  sending  his  nine  com- 
panions to  Rome  to  obtain  the  Pope’s  permission 
to  pass  over  into  Palestine,  according  to  the  plan 
originally  formed  in  Paris.  Francis  and  his  com- 
panions set  out  on  foot,  depending  upon  alms  for 
their  subsistence.  Many  and  various  were  their 
trials  on  the  road.  On  one  occasion  they  walked 
for  three  whole  days  without  receiving  a single 
roll  wherewith  to  break  their  fast;  and  some  of 
them  sank  down  on  the  road  from  sheer  exhaus- 
tion, one  striving  to  support  the  other,  and  each 
one  feeling  the  sufferings  of  the  others  more  than 
his  own.  The  want  of  charity  which  they  expe- 
rienced was  in  great  measure  attributable  to  a 
misconception  on  the  part  of  the  peasantry,  who, 
seeing  such  a number  of  men  walking  together, 
in  a foreign  dress  and  speaking  a foreign  language, 
concluded  they  were  a set  of  notorious  criminals, 
obliged  to  go  to  Rome  to  obtain  absolution  for 
their  enormous  delinquencies.  This  suspicion  soon 
became  current,  and  our  pilgrims  were  often 
insulted  and  reviled  in  consequence  of  this  mis- 
interpretation of  their  really  pious  pilgrimage. 
They  spent  several  nights  in  the  open  air,  all 
shelter  being  denied  them ; and  a bundle  of  straw 
to  rest  their  weary  limbs  upon,  when  afforded, 
was  as  great  a luxury  to  them  as  a bed  of  down 
would  be  to  the  sensualist.  The  season,  moreover, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


37 


was  particularly  rainy,  so  that  the  country  was 
often  overflowed,  and  they  had  to  wade  through 
streams  nearly  up  to  their  waists  in  water;  in 
some  places  they  were  ferried  across  in  charity; 
but  once,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Ancona,  having 
no  means  of  paying  their  passage,  they  were  de- 
tained in  the  boat  by  the  ferryman,  whilst  one  of 
' them  wont  and  pawned  his  breviary  in  order  to 
free  the  rest,  after  which  they  all  went  begging 
from  door  to  door  till  they  had  sufficient  cash  to 
redeem  the  breviary. 

On  reaching  Rome,  they  went  to  lodge  in  the 
hospital  of  S.  James,  belonging  to  Spain,  and  Peter 
Ortiz,  who  was  then  at  the  Court  of  Rome  on 
business  connected  with  the  Emperor,  introduced 
them  to  the  then  reigning  Pontiff,  Paul  III.  His 
Holiness  was  in  the  habit  of  receiving  literary, 
religious,  or  scientific  men  whilst  he  was  at  table, 
that  his  mind  might  be  refreshed  at  the  same  time 
as  his  body.  One  morning  he  gave  orders  for  the 
admission  of  our  pious  travellers  during  his  meal. 
After  listening  with  delight  to  their  discourse,  he 
stood  up,  and  addressed  them  in  these  precise 
words: — “We  are  highly  gratified  at  seeing  so 
much  erudition  combined  with  so  much  humility 
He  then  inquired  whether  they  had  no  favor  to 
ask  of  him ; and,  on  their  answering  that  all  they 
desired  was  the  consent  of  His  Holiness  for  them 
to  visit  the  Holy  Land  and  venerate  the  sacred 
places  there,  he  was  more  surprised  than  ever. 
Placing  his  hands  upon  his  bosom,  as  if  in  the  act 
of  embracing  them  affectionately,  he  next  ex- 
tended his  right  hand,  and  blessed  them,  giving 
permission  for  any  of  them,  who  were  not  yet 

4 


38 


THE  LIFE  OF 


priests,  to  be  ordained,  under  the  title  of  Voluntary 
Poverty , by  any  bishop  whomsoever.  Grateful  and 
happy  under  this  concession,  they  again  set  out  on 
foot  on  their  return  to  Venice,  where  they  were 
joyfully  welcomed  by  S.  Ignatius,  who,  for  many 
just  reasons,  had  remained  there  daring  their 
journey  to  Rome.  They  again  applied  themselves 
to  the  service  of  the  sick  in  the  hospitals  with  the 
same  fervor  and  charity  as  before,  and,  in  due 
time,  renewed  their  vows  in  presence  of  the  Lord 
Jerome  Veralli,  Archbishop  of  Rossano,  then  act- 
ing as  Papal  Nuncio  at  Venice.  He  was  a person 
of  great  merit,  afterward  honored  with  the 
purple  : the  Society  was  much  indebted  to  him  for 
the  zeal  with  which  he  vindicated  the  innocence 
of  Ignatius  when  falsely  calumniated. 

In  the  mean  while,  Francis  had  been  sighing  for  a 
closer  union  with  Almighty  God  ; and  on  the  festi- 
val of  St.  John  Baptist,  1537,  he  and  some  other 
of  his  companions  were  promoted  to  the  priest- 
hood. Such  was  the  plenitude  of  their  heavenly 
consolation,  that  it  seems  to  have  redounded  upon 
the  consecrating  bishop,  Vincent  Nigusanti,  who 
affirmed  that  of  all  the  ordinations  he  had  held,  he 
had  never  before  experienced  such  tender  devotion. 

Before  venturing  to  celebrate  his  first  mass, 
Francis  would  retire  to  some  solitary  spot,  the 
better  to  prepare  himself  for  this  great  act : he 
accordingly  withdrew  to  Monfelice,  somewhere 
near  Padua.  He  took  up  his  quarters  in  an  aban- 
doned hut,  open  on  all  sides  to  the  weather : his 
bed  consisted  of  a little  straw  on  the  bare  ground; 
his  nourishment  was  water,  with  a few  scraps  of 
bread,  begged  by  himself  as  an  alms  from  door  to 


f 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  39 

door;  he  constantly  wore  a rough  hair  shirt,  used 
his  discipline  most  unmercifully,  besides  practising 
many  other  austerities,  as  his  fervor  happened  to 
suggest.  In  the  midst  of  all  this,  he  experienced 
ineffable  delight  in  meditation,  which,  together 
with  spiritual  reading,  occupied  him  day  and 
night.  After  passing  forty  days  in  this  manner, 
he  was  unable  to  restrain  his  bursting  zeal  any 
longer;  therefore  he  sallied  forth  to  exercise  it  on 
the  neighboring  people.  On  reaching  some  public 
place,  he  would  mount  some  sort  of  elevation,  and 
collecting  a crowd  around  him,  he  would  begin  to 
speak  to  them  on  the  necessity  of  satisfying  Divine 
justice,  on  the  importance  of  salvation,  and  other 
essential  truths  of  religion.  His  beaming  counte- 
nance and  sparkling  eyes,  seconded  by  his  impress- 
ive tone  and  manner,  made  the  greatest  impression 
on  his  audience,  though  many  of  them  could 
understand  but  little  of  his  imperfect  Italian 
Nevertheless,  they  wept  with  compunction,  de- 
claring that  he  seemed  to  them  like  another  Bap- 
tist, come  from  the  desert  to  preach  penance. 

Saint  Ignatius  summoned  his  companions  to 
Vicenza,  where  they  all  took  up  their  abode  out- 
side the  city  walls,  in  an  old  dilapidated  monastery, 
ruined  in  some  former  war,  left  without  doors  or 
windows,  and  open  on  all  sides  to  the  inclemency 
of  the  seasons.  Francis  celebrated  his  first  mass 
in  the  city  of  Vicenza,  favored  by  God  with 
streams  of  pious  tears,  and  also  drawing  tears 
from  the  greater  part  of  the  assistants;  from  that 
day  forward,  he  continued  always  to  celebrate 
with  the  same  devotion  as  if  it  were  the  first  time. 
But  our  Lord  was  pleased  to  try  his  servant  ir 


40 


THE  LIFE  OF 


various  ways;  after  inebriating  his  soul  with 
heavenly  sweetness,  he  imparted  to  him  some 
share  of  his  bitter  chalice,  in  the  form  of  a danger- 
ous illness  brought  on  by  hi3  excessive  austerities. 
For  the  better  chance  of  cure,  Ignatius  had  him 
conveyed  to  the  hospital;  which  unfortunately 
being  full,  Francis  was  obliged  to  share  his  poor 
little  bed  with  a fellow-patient,  who  like  himself 
was  suffering  from  intermittent  fever;  but  as  one 
was  in  the  excess  of  heat,  whilst  the  other  was 
shivering  with  cold,  the  bed-clothes  were  never 
accommodated  to  the  state  of  our  saint,  who,  ever 
unmindful  of  himself,  studied  only  the  comfort  of 
his  associate.  The  more  he  felt  the  effects  of 
poverty,  the  more  did  he  rejoice,  as  having  some- 
thing to  suffer  for  the  love  of  God.  He  felt  all  his 
sufferings  more  than  abundantly  compensated, 
when,  one  night,  he  was  favored  with  a visit  from 
heaven  by  the  great  doctor  of  the  church,  St. 
Jerome;  to  whom  he  was  particularly  devoted. 
The  saint  appeared  to  him  radiant  with  the 
glory  of  paradise,  and  consoled  him  with  the 
kindest  of  expressions.  As  the  chief  consolation 
of  the  saints  under  their  trials  consists  in  the 
hope  of  suffering  still  more,  St.  Jerome,  told  him 
that  a still  heavier  cross  awaited  him  in  Bologna ; 
and  he  also  specified  the  various  cities  of  Italy,  in 
which  his  companions  would  be  chiefly  employed ; 
this  circumstance  may  give  us  some  idea  of  the 
special  love  and  protection  with  which  Almighty 
God  watched  over  the  new-born  society. 

Every  thing  occurred  as  the  holy  doctor  pre- 
dicted. War  being  declared  between  the  republic 
of  Venice  and  the  Turks,  all  chance  of  the  expe- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  41 

dition  into  Palestine  was  at  an  end:  in  pursuance 
then  of  the  vow  made  in  Paris,  Ignatius  deter- 
mined on  going  to  Rome,  to  offer  himself  and  his 
nine  companions  to  the  Yicar  of  Jesus  Christ,  to 
be  disposed  of  as  he  might  judge  most  likely  to 
promote  the  glory  of  God.  The  holy  father,  ac- 
companied by  Faber  and  Lainez,  accordingly  set  out 
for  Rome;  the  rest  being  dispersed  through  various 
parts  of  xtaly,  Bologna  being  the  destination  of 
Francis.  On  his  arrival  there  he  at  once  repaired 
to  the  hospital,  the  lodging  always  most  pleasing 
to  his  humility;  though  he  was  soon  obliged  to 
quit  it,  at  the  pressing  entreaties  of  Canon  Jerome 
Cassalini,  rector  of  the  church  of  S.  Lucy;  who, 
knowing  him  to  be  a saint,  insisted  on  lodging  him, 
nolens  volens,  in  his  own  house.  Though  Francis  at 
last  acquiesced  in  this,  the  good  canon  never  could 
prevail  on  him  to  accept  a daily  supply  of  food; 
Francis  would  touch  nothing  but  the  scraps  he 
begged  from  door  to  door.  To  his  abstemiousness 
and  other  excessive  austerities  may  be  added  the 
rigors  of  a severe  winter,  and  his  multifarious 
and  heavy  labors.  He  was  incessantly  occupied 
in  preaching  in  public  places,  or  in  hearing  con- 
fessions, or  in  visiting  prisons  and  hospitals,  or 
in  teaching  the  Christian  doctrine,  or  in  giving 
spiritual  counsel : day  and  night  were  devoted  to 
works  of  charity,  sufficient  to  have  worn  out 
several  robust  workmen,  instead  of  one  who  was 
delicate,  and  just  recovering  from  the  effects  of  a 
recent  illness.  Surprising  as  was  his  vigor  of 
soul,  it  could  not  long  sustain  exhausted  nature; 
he  was  attacked  by  a most  distressing  quartan 
fever,  which  hung  upon  him  for  several  months 
4* 


42 


THE  LIFE  OF 


But  to  his  generous  heart,  which  was  preparing 
itself  for  an  apostolate,  it  would  have  seemed  dis- 
graceful to  yield  to  what  his  fervor  considered 
but  a slight  indisposition;  so,  not  to  neglect  the 
copious  harvest  of  souls  then  on  his  hands,  he  con- 
tinued his  ordinary  occupation  as  if  nothing  was 
the  matter  with  him.  His  exertions  on  this  occa- 
sion were  so  pleasing  to  God,  that  he  blessed  them 
with  the  most  wonderful  results,  the  memory 
whereof  was  long  and  gratefully  cherished  oy  me 
Bolognese : but  he,  in  the  mean  time,  laboring,  ill 
as  he  was,  as  much  and  perhaps  more  than  when 
in  health,  was  reduced  to  such  a state  of  pallor, 
meagreness,  and  debility,  as  to  resemble  a corpse, 
and  to  be  in  reality  nearly  at  death’s  door,  so  that 
S.  Jerome’s  prophecy  was  fully  verified. 

Whilst  our  zealous  preacher  was  pursuing  his 
unwearied  labors  in  Bologna,  Saint  Ignatius,  at 
Rome,  was  meditating  how  he  might  form  his 
Society  into  a Religious  Order,  and  thus  raise  a 
new  body  of  valiant  soldiers  for  the  service  of  the 
Church.  To  give  impetus  to  the  work,  he  wrote  and 
summoned  his  absent  children  to  Rome.  Francis 
arrived  there  toward  Easter,  1538,  and  when  his 
brethren  beheld  him  thus  languid  and  thin,  they 
thought  they  were  on  the  point  of  losing  him;  but 
they  were  soon  undeceived,  when,  being  divided 
among  the  different  churches  of  Rome,  Francis 
was  appointed  to  that  of  S.  Lawrence  in  Darnaso, 
and  they  saw  him  (animated  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
as  he  was)  indefatigable  in  preaching,  hearing  con- 
fessions, catechizing,  and  other  laborious  functions. 
The  fervor  of  himself  and  his  companions  produced 
a spontaneous  excitement  throughout  the  Eternal 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


43 


City,  which  seemed  to  awake  as  from  a lethargy. 
The  frequentation  of  the  sacraments — all  but  sunk 
into  disuse — became  general;  suitable  provision 
was  made  for  young  damsels  whose  virtue  was 
exposed  to  danger;  for  orphans,  for  converted 
prostitutes,  and  for  the  Jews  that  were  won  over  to 
the  faith:  all  these  undertakings  owed  their  begin- 
ning to  the  sons  of  Ignatius,  and  were  rendered 
permanent  by  him.  Francis  and  his  companions, 
also,  signalized  their  charity  during  a terrible  year 
of  scarcity,  relieving  multitudes  of  famishing  poor, 
who  literally  encumbered  the  streets  of  Rome. 

We  must  not  silently  pass  over  a striking  proof 
of  the  singular  virtue  of  our  saint,  displayed  in  a 
circumstance  which  occurred  about  this  time.  Saint 
Ignatius  had  appointed  him  to  attend  on  Simon 
Rodriguez,  who  was  dangerously  ill.  One  night 
the  sleepless  invalid  began,  with  a feeling  of  devo- 
tion, to  watch  the  countenance  of  Francis,  who, 
wearied  and  worn  out,  had  fallen  asleep  in  his 
chair  at  the  foot  of  the  bed;  the  lamp  happened 
to  be  so  placed  that  Simon  could  clearly  see  every 
change  of  feature;  after  a little  time,  the  slum- 
berer  began  to  move  his  arms,  as  if  endeavoring 
to  ward  off  some  great  annoyance ; by  degrees  his 
efforts  became  so  violent  that  a stream  of  blood 
gushed  from  his  mouth,  and  he  awoke  in  great 
agitation.  Rodriguez  frequently  questioned  him 
as  to  the  cause  of  this  singular  occurrence,  but 
Francis  always  evaded  the  subject  until  he  was  on 
the  point  of  sailing  from  Lisbon  to  the  Indies, 
when,  being  again  pressed  by  Rodriguez  for  an 
explanation,  he  intrusted  him  with  his  secret, 
though  under  a strict  promise  of  silence.  “You 


44 


THE  LIFE  OF 


must  know,”  said  Francis,  u that  whilst  1 was 
asleep  at  the  foot  of  your  bed,  an  impure  phantom 
clouded  my  mind.  It  seemed  to  me  that  I was  in 
a certain  inn,  and  that  a disreputable  woman  ap- 
proached and  placed  her  hand  on  my  bosom.  I,  who 
by  the  great  mercy  of  God  am  still  a virgin,  was  so 
horrified  at  this  audacious  proceeding,  that,  in  order 
to  push  this  abominable  object  from  me,  I vigorously 
used  my  arms,  and,  in  the  violence  of  the  struggle, 
ruptured  a vein,  which  occasioned  the  copious  flow 
of  blood  that  you  witnessed.”  By  these  words,  care- 
fully remembered  and  repeated  by  Rodriguez,  God 
was  pleased  to  certify  the  fact  of  his  perfect  purity, 
by  the  testimony  of  the  humble  saint  himself:  a 
more  authoritative  witness  surely  could  not  be  de- 
sired. Now,  since  he  had  thus  preserved  this  deli- 
cate virtue  unsullied  up  to  the  time  of  his  leaving 
Europe,  no  one  will  suspect  him  of  having  for- 
feited it  later,  when  his  sanctity  was  authenticated 
by  God  by  means  of  such  stupendous  miracles. 
Indeed,  every  one  who  knew  him  in  India  looked 
upon  him  as  an  angel  in  human  flesh, — not  only  a 
virgin,  but  free  even  from  those  stains  which  are 
like  spots  upon  the  sun.  Such  was  the  opinion  of 
the  Vicar  of  Meliapore,  in  whose  house  he  resided 
for  several  months;  of  Odoard  Fonseca,  who  was 
intimate  with  him  in  the  island  of  Amboy na;  of 
Anthony  Sosa,  who  followed  him  from  Mozambique 
to  Goa;  of  John  d'Arriga,  who  was  his  companion 
for  a long  time.  They  all  unanimously  deposed, 
in  the  processes,  that  they  had  never  witnessed 
any  thing  in  him  which  could  be  construed  into 
sin;  and  yet  he  did  not  live  as  a hermit  in  the 
wilderness,  but  amidst  the  dangerous  temptations 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


45 


of  the  -tforld:  hence,  so  perfect  an  innocence  could 
only  spring  from  a charity  little  less  than  seraphic. 

The  ardor  of  his  charity  was  likewise  manifested 
by  another  vision,  very  different  from  the  one  re- 
cently alluded  to;  and  which  also  occurred  whilst 
he  was  in  Rome.  Almighty  God,  who  had  chosen 
him  for  a vessel  of  election,  one  night  permitted 
him  to  behold  the  amount  of  his  future  trials,  as 
formerly  happened  to  S.  Paul:  “I  will  show  him 
what  great  things  he  has  to  suffer  for  my  name” 
We  are  not  certain  whether  this  vision  appeared 
to  him  in  his  waking  or  sleeping  moments;  but 
we  do  know  that  it  unfolded  to  his  mind  a fearful 
scene,  made  up  of  thorns  and  crosses.  He  saw 
awaiting  him  rough  pilgrimages  on  land,  furious 
storms  at  sea,  privation  of  all  necessary  things, 
sickness,  persecutions,  insults,  blows,  stones,  ar- 
rows, and  every  other  species  of  torment,  to  be 
referred  to  in  the  course  of  our  narrative.  At  so 
alarming  a spectacle,  even  a valiant  heart  might 
quail;  whilst  a willing  acceptation  of  such  horrors 
would  deserve  the  highest  praise.  The  charity  of 
Francis,  however,  carried  him  beyond  this;  for  the 
picture  thus  placed  before  him  by  the  beloved  of 
his  soul,  seemed  nothing  to  his  magnanimous 
mind;  and  in  a burst  of  generous  fervor  he  ex- 
claimed, “ Yet  more,  O Lord ! yet  more  V*  Rodriguez 
heard  the  words,  though  without  understanding 
their  mysterious  meaning,  until  later,  when  Francis 
explained  it,  at  the  same  time  with  the  secret  before 
related. 

One  dream  was  quite  familiar  to  him  ; he  seemed 
to  he  laden  with  an  Indian  on  his  shoulders,  whom 
he  had  to  carry  up  mountains,  and  over  all  kinds 


46 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  rough  roads.  The  toil  was  so  wearisome,  that 
he  often  groaned  under  it,  so  as  to  awaken  his 
companion;  Francis  himself  starting  up  breath- 
less, and  bathed  in  perspiration.  In  this  manner 
did  our  Lord  go  on  preparing  His  servant,  and,  as 
it  were,  fanning  the  flames  of  his  apostolic  zeal. 
Tho  saint  could  speak  of  nothing  but  the  mise- 
rable blindness  of  paganism ; of  the  beautiful 
opportunities  afforded  by  India  for  the  practice  of 
the  virtues  which  characterize  an  apostle ; of  the 
happiness  of  those  who  shed  their  blood  for  the 
faith,  &c.  When  speaking  on  these  topics,  his 
beaming  countenance  betrayed  the  impetuosity  of 
his  heart.  That  he,  who  thus  ardently  sighed  for 
an  Eastern  mission,  did  not  venture  to  ask  for  it, 
was  an  effect  of  his  profound  humility,  which 
made  him  deem  himself  unworthy  of  so  great  an 
honor,  and  unequal  to  so  heavy  a task.  But  at 
length  the  time  was  approaching  when  heaven 
consoled  him,  and  conferred  on  him  the  blissful 
lot  which  in  so  many  ways  had  been  dimly  fore- 
shadowed to  him.  # 

The  prosperity  with  which  God  blessed  the 
arms  of  Don  John  III.,  King  of  Portugal,  adding 
new  conquests  to  his  dominions  in  the  East,  stimu- 
lated the  heart  of  that  pious  prince  to  use  his  best 
endeavors  in  extending  the  knowledge  and  pro- 
moting the  glory  of  the  Divine  Majesty,  as  the 
best  proof  of  his  grateful  acknowledgment  of  so 
many  favors.  He  was  quite  as  anxious  to  procure 
zealous  gospel  laborers,  as  skilful  navigators  and 
valiant  soldiers ; that  in  proportion  as  these  latter 
discovered  and  conquered  new  nations,  the  former 
might  subject  them  to  Christ  by  aggregating 


JAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  47 

them  to  the  Church.  And  God,  who  had  for  this 
purpose  inspired  his  predecessors  to  undertake  the 
passage  from  Europe  to  the  Indies,  knowing  his 
pious  designs,  seconded  them  by  giving  success  to 
his  arms. 

Doctor  James  Govea,  a Portuguese,  happened  to 
be  rector  of  the  college  of  Saint  Barbara  in  Paris, 
at  the  time  Ignatius,  Xavier,  and  their  com- 
panions were  pursuing  their  academic  course; 
and,  as  an  eye-witness,  was  well  acquainted  with 
their  virtue,  zeal,  and  industry  in  gaining  souls 
to  God.  Now  Govea  was  commissioned  by  the 
king  his  master  to  negotiate  some  important 
affairs  with  Pope  Paul  III.,  and  was  at  Pome  on 
this  account,  precisely  when  Ignatius,  having  lost 
all  hope  of  repairing  to  the  holy  land,  arrived  at 
Pome  to  make  an  offering  of  himself  and  his  com- 
panions, to  be  employed  in  the  service  of  the 
Church,  in  any  way  His  Holiness  might  desire. 
All  this  was,  no  doubt,  owing  to  a special  dispen- 
sation of  Providence,  which  often,  unconsciously 
to  ourselves,  conducts  things  to  his  highest  pur- 
poses, by  events  which  appear  fortuitous  to  us. 
Govea  felt  convinced  that  Heaven  had  sent  Igna- 
tius there  expressly  for  the  benefit  of  his  king ; to 
whom  he  immediately  wrote,  giving  him  an 
account  of  this  zealous  little  troop,  their  qualifi- 
cations, talents,  virtue,  and  learning;  adding,  that 
he  had  long  known  them,  as  being  men  of  God, 
intent  solely  on  his  glory;  ready  to  enter  upon 
great  undertakings  in  his  service;  poor,  humble, 
indefatigable,  devoted  by  vow  to  the  conversion 
of  infidels;  proof  against  the  greatest  sufferings 
and  the  fiercest  persecutions;  in  fine,  fit  for  the 


48 


THE  LIFE  OF 


most  arduous  enterprises,  when  the  salvation  of 
souls  was  in  question ; and  precisely  the  men  that 
were  wanted  for  the  Indies  ; therefore  he  strongly 
recommended  his  majesty  to  apply  for  them. 
This  was  quite  enough  to  determine  the  king : he 
wrote  to  Don  Peter  Mascaregnas,  his  ambassador 
at  Pome,  desiring  him  to  speak  to  the  Pope  and  to 
Ignatius  on  the  subject;  and  so  to  manage  that, 
on  his  return  to  Portugal,  which  was  soon  to  take 
place,  six  of  the  Fathers  should  accompany  him. 
But  Saint  Ignatius,  whose  view  grasped  more  than 
one  corner  of  the  world,  told  Mascaregnas  (who 
consulted  him  before  he  spoke  to  the  Pope)  that 
if  out  of  ten,  which  they  then  numbered,  six  were 
given  to  the  Indies,  there  would  indeed  remain 
but  few  for  the  rest  of  the  world  : remarking, 
however,  that  he  and  his  companions  were  all  at 
the  disposal  of  the  Pope,  on  whom  their  move-  1 
ments  depended.  It  seemed  to  him,  that  out  of 
so  small  a number,  two  would  be  no  small  share 
for  India;  and  His  Holiness  seems  to  have  been  of 
the  same  opinion;  he  referred  the  whole  matter  to 
the  decision  of  the  saint,  who,  as  usual,  began  to 
take  counsel  with  our  Lord;  weighing  also  in  his 
own  mind  the  qualifications  requisite  for  so  ardu- 
ous an  undertaking,  and  which  of  his  subjects 
seemed  best  suited  to  the  purpose.  After  prayer 
and  mature  deliberation,  he  decided  on  Simon 
Rodriguez  and  Nicolas  Bobadilla;  both  of  them 
indefatigable  laborers,  and  of  a spirit  worthy  of 
such  a call ; were  it  not  that  God,  who  had  higher 
views,  had  otherwise  predetermined.  Neither  of 
these  two  quitted  Europe;  Providence  destined 
Rodriguez  to  carry  the  Society  into  Portugal  and 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


49 


there  establish  it;  by  which  means  he  benefited 
the  Indies  far  more  than  he  could  have  done  by 
his  own  individual  labors;  whilst  Bobadilla  be- 
came the  prop  of  the  Catholic  religion  in  Germany, 
in  opposition  to  the  Lutheran  doctrines  recently 
introduced  there.  In  the  mean  time,  our  holy 
Francis,  who  had  long  desired,  and  had  had  many 
tacit  promises  from  Heaven  of  this  mission,  re- 
mained tranquil  and  said  not  a word  that  could 
indicate  his  wishes.  Wholly  absorbed  in  his 
humility,  he  thought  himself  far  beneath  an  office 
of  which  none  but  an  Apostle  could  be  worthy; 
whilst,  at  the  same  time,  he  saw  the  requisite 
merits  in  the  two  who  were  appointed  to  the 
charge;  nor  did  he  for  a moment  think  of  com- 
paring himself  with  them. 

But  God,  who  had  chosen  him,  and  not  them, 
for  the  purpose,  so  disposed  events  that  the  lot 
should  fall  on  him,  as  if  fiom  a necessity  of  human 
prudence;  whereas  it  was,  in  truth,  a special  dis- 
pensation of  Divine  Providence;  which  permitted 
(not  without  mystery)  that  Ignatius  should  in  the 
first  instance  -be  mistaken,  in  order  to  show  that 
this  election  to  the  Apostolate  was  reserved  to 
God  himself,  who  alone  could  determine  it. 

Bodrvguez  was  recalled  from  Sienna,  and  Boba- 
iilla  from  the  Kingdom  of  Naples:  the  former 
mailed  immediately  toward  Portugal ; but  the 
latter  no  sooner  reached  Home  than  he  fell  ill,  and, 
as  his  malady  was  less  a natural  indisposition  than 
an  appointment  of  our  Lord,  there  seemed  no  pro- 
bability of  his  recovering  in  time  to  set  out  with 
Mascaregnas,  who  could  no  longer  delay  his  de- 
parture. Ignatius  was  thus  compelled  to  make 
b 


50 


THE  LIFE  OF 


another  choice.  A new  light  suddenly  dawned  on 
his  mind  as  his  thoughts  rested  on  Xavier;  where- 
upon, calling  him  to  his  bedside — for  Ignatius  was 
ill  in  bed  at  the  time — he  thus  addressed  hi  in  * 
u By  higher  counsels  than  those  of  our  short- 
sighted judgment,  Francis, — for  we  cannot  pene- 
trate the  designs  of  God, — you,  and  not  Bobadilla, 
are  destined  to  the  mission  of  the  Indies.  The 
Sovereign  Pontiff,  to  whom  you  have  consecrated 
your  obedience  by  vow,  confers  it  on  you,  and  I 
present  it  to  you  in  his  name : accept  it,  however, 
as  coming  immediately  from  the  hand  of  God,  who, 
even  from  the  East,  calls  on  me  to  send  you 
thither,  and  on  you  to  go.  Thus,  what  we  have 
so  earnestly  desired, — what  we  so  long  waited  for 
in  vain  at  Yenice, — this  passage  across  seas  into 
barbarous  countries,  now,  contrary  to  all  hope, 
here  in  Rome  presents  itself  to  you:  not  one 
single  province  of  Palestine,  which  we  were  seek- 
ing ; but  He  gives  you  the  Indies, — a whole  world 
of  people  and  of  nations.  This  is  the  soil  which 
God  intrusts  to  your  cultivation, — this  is  the  field 
which  He  opens  to  your  labors.  Well  does  He 
prove  the  affection  in  which  He  holds  you,  since 
He  confides  to  your  hands,  and  commits  to  your 
faith,  the  greatest  interests  of  His  glory;  that  is 
to  say,  a numberless  number  of  souls,  to  whose 
salvation  He  destined  you  before  all  ages,  and 
now,  in  a particular  manner,  elects  you  to  it. 
May  He,  then,  bless  your  steps,  and  prosper  your 
toils ! And  since  He  puts  His  gospel  in  your 
mouth,  that,  like  a common  crier,  you  may  pro- 
claim it;  and  the  treasure  of  His  graces  in  your 
hands,  that  you  may  bestow  them  on  the  people 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  51 

of  the  East;  may  He,  likewise,  be  ever  in  you, 
heart,  and  fill  it  with  such  ardent  flames  o»; 
charity,  that  you  may  enkindle  His  holy  fire 
throughout  the  new  world,  that  so  the  brightness 
of  the  light  may  extend  from  there  even  to  us, 
together  with  the  accounts  which  you  will  send  us, 
— details  which  will  be  alike  worthy  of  your  zeal, 
and  of  our  expectations  ! In  the  mean  time,  we 
shall  be  with  you  in  heart,  as  our  affection  for  you 
so  justly  demands;  our  prayers  will  accompany 
you;  and  whatever  seas  and  lands  may  separate 
us,  never  shall  we  be  so  far  apart  as  not  to  find 
ourselves  closely  united  before  and  in  God,  in 
whatever  part  of  the  world  you  may  happen  to 
be/’  Whilst  Ignatius  was  speaking  in  this  strain, 
so  many  varied  emotions  were  contending  in  the 
heart  of  Francis,  and  such  deep  feelings  were  at 
work  there,  that  he  could  scarcely  find  words  to 
express  them, — tears  best  conveyed  his  meaning. 
His  first  endeavor  was  to  offer,  with  generous 
promptitude,  to  devote  his  whole  energies  to  the 
salvation  of  the  Indians;  neither  to  spare  his  life, 
nor  shun  any  of  the  sufferings,  toils,  and  dangers 
to  which  the  office  of  an  Apostle  would  expose 
him.  He  next  expressed  his  humble  astonishment 
that  God,  the  keen  Searcher  of  hearts,  who  could 
not  have  discovered  in  him  any  of  the  virtues  re- 
quisite to  so  arduous  an  undertaking,  (an  under- 
taking for  which  the  powers  of  a giant  would 
scarcely  suffice,)  should,  notwithstanding,  place  it 
on  his  feeble  shoulders.  Then,  with  modest  bash- 
fulness,  he  betrayed  his  soul’s  delight  at  seeing  hi* 
long-cherished  wishes  on  the  point  of  being  real- 
ized,— wishes  which  he  had  hitherto  concealed  in 


52 


THE  LIFE  OF 


his  heart, — wishes  which  sprung  only  from  his 
love  of  suffering,  and  his  hope  of  extending  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.  Now,  at  last,  were  the  enig- 
mas unveiled,  and  he  was  able  clearly  to  interpret 
the  secret  warnings  with  which  our  Lord  had,  on 
several  occasions,  promised  to  employ  him  in  His 
immediate  service  amidst  an  idolatrous  people, 
and  under  an  immense  weight  of  sufferings,  at  the 
contemplation  of  which,  so  far  from  being  dis- 
mayed, he  cried  out,  “Yet  more,  O Lord,  yet 
more !” 

Father  Rodriguez  was  the  first  of  the  two  whom 
Saint  Ignatius  had  destined  for  the  missions  of 
India.  As  he  was  laboring  under  a quartan  fever 
at  the  time  of  the  Portuguese  ambassador’s  de- 
parture from  Rome,  he  would  only  have  been  a 
burden  to  the  retinue  on  a land-journey,  conse- 
quently he  proceeded  to  Civita  Yecchia,  where,  find- 
ing a merchant-ship  on  the  point  of  sailing  for 
Lisbon,  he  at  once  embarked,  ill  as  he  was,  to- 
gether with  Father  Paul  di  Camerino,  who  had 
lately  joined  the  family  of  Ignatius.  They  left 
Rome  on  the  5th  of  March,  1540,  and,  having  a 
very  favorable  passage,  they  entered  the  mouth  of 
the  Tagus  on  the  eighth  day.  By  order  of  the 
ambassador  they  were  conveyed  to  a demesne  of 
his  own,  called  Palma,  the  air  of  which  was  very 
salubrious,  and  where  he  hoped  Father  Rodriguez 
would  soon  regain  his  health  and  strength.  He 
remained  there  but  a short  time,  for  his  Majesty, 
with  expressions  of  great  benevolence,  soon  sum- 
moned him  to  Lisbon,  where  he  arrived  on  the 
17th  of  April.  I am  particular  in  specifying  the 
date  for  reasons  which  need  not  be  explained  here, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER  53 

further  than  to  say,  that  a memorandum  of  it  was 
found  in  Father  Simon’s  own  handwriting,  in  a 
Bible  which  he  afterward  gave  to  Father  Anthony 
Quadros,  who  took  it  with  him  to  the  Indies,  from 
whence  it  was  brought  back  to  Europe  by  Father 
Alexander  Rhodes. 

Xavier  quitted  Rome  with  the  ambassador  on 
the  16th  of  March;  he  had  but  one  day’s  notice, 
just  time  enough  to  mend  his  worn-out  habit,  give 
a farewell  embrace  to  his  friends,  and  go  on  and 
receive  the  paternal  blessing  of  Pope  Paul  III., 
who  most  cordially  bestowed  it  on  him.  His  Holi- 
ness addressed  him  in  wise  and  emphatic  terms, 
encouraging  him  under  his  arduous  enterprise ; 
recommending  him  to  distrust  his  own  powers,  as 
inadequate  to  so  great  a task,  but  to  rely  entirely 
on  Him  for  whose  glory  he  undertook  it,  in  the 
certain  hope  that  He,  who  elected  and  destined 
him  to  a ministry  so  far  superior  to  human  weak- 
ness, would,  at  the  same  time,  qualify  him  for  it. 
God  as  he  is,  he  has  no  need  for  our  talents;  for, 
with  a word,  he  changed  Fishermen  into  Apostles; 
rough  and  illiterate  men  into  masters  of  the  world; 
poor  men  into  princes  of  the  Church,  placing  at 
their  feet  the  crowns  and  sceptres  of  kings,  and 
bending  before  them  the  heads  of  the  learned  and 
the  pride  of  the  worldly  great.  He  reminded  him 
of  the  many  dangers  which  awaited  him  in  the 
East;  and  also,  that  such  elevated  enterprises  were 
not  to  be  successfully  carried  out  but  at  the  ex- 
pense of  great  risks; — that  he  could  not  gain  the 
merit  and  the  honor  of  an  Apostle  otherwise  than 
by  following  their  footsteps,  and  that  he;  in  imita- 
tion of  them,  must  be  resigned  to  lead  a life  some- 
5* 


54 


THE  LIFE  OF 


what  similar  to  a continual  dying.  As  God  was 
sending  him  to  remodel  the  paths  formerly  traced 
by  the  Apostle  S.  Thomas,  the  first  conqueror  of 
India, — the  first  father  of  a church  now  so  long 
laid  waste  and  desolate, — he  must  take  upon  him 
the  spirit  of  this  his  illustrious  predecessor,  and 
remember,  that  if  it  should  be  necessary  for  him 
to  die  in  the  cause,  no  end  could  be  more  appro- 
priate to  the  life  of  an  apostle  than  the  death  of  a 
martyr; — that  he  could  not  do  any  thing  more 
glorious  to  God,  (who  became  man  only  that  be 
might  seek  souls,)  nor  any  thing  more  acceptable 
to  the  Church,  (which,  like  her  Divine  Spouse, 
cares  only  for  souls,)  than  to  bring  many  of  these 
precious  souls  into  the  ways  of  salvation : “ and,” 
added  the  Pontiff,  “how  will  both  hold  themselves 
obliged  to  you,  and  how  great  will  be  your  merit, 
and  how  liberal  your  recompense ! I beseech 
Almighty  God  to  give  it  you,  according  to  the 
measure  of  my  wishes,  and  according  to  the  great 
expectations  which  I have  already  formed.” 

Xavier  listened  as  if  our  Lord  himself  were 
speaking  by  the  mouth  of  his  vicegerent;  feeling 
himself  both  confounded  and  encouraged.  In  his 
answer,  he  so  well  blended  his  humble  sentiments 
of  self,  with  a noble  intrepidity  of  heart  which 
prepared  him  for  every  hardship,  that  the  worthy 
Pontiff  was  extremely  gratified  and  edified;  even 
then  foreseeing  the  successes  of  which  he  con- 
tinued to  receive  details  during  the  nine  years 
which  he  survived;  successes  which  he  declared 
surpassed  his  most  sanguine  expectations.  After 
renewing  his  hopeful  prayer  that  God  would  bless 
and  prosper  him  or  his  voyage,  as  well  as  amidst 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  5& 

his  toils  and  sufferings,  he  blessed  him  and  took 
leave  of  him. 

Xavier  had  now  nothing  more  to  do  than  to 
give  and  take  a last  embrace  of  the  dear  brothers 
he  was  going  to  leave  in  Europe,  who,  whilst  they 
regretted  to  lose  him,  could  scarcely  repress  % 
feeling  of  holy  envy  of  his  noble  destiny.  Before 
quitting  Rome,  he  placed  a paper,  in  his  own 
writing,  in  the  hands  of  Father  James  Lainez, 
still  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  Gesu;  in 
which  he  approves  the  rule  and  constitutions 
established  by  Ignatius  and  his  companions;  pledg- 
ing himself  to  the  observance  of  them:  electing 
Father  Ignatius  to  be  the  General ; or,  in  the  event 
of  his  failing,  he  named  Peter  Faber:  offering  to 
God  the  three  vows  of  religion,  of  poverty,  chastity, 
and  obedience  in  the  Society  of  Jesus ; to  be  valid 
as  soon  as  apostolic  authority  should  constitute  it 
a religious  order;  which  was  shortly  expected,  and 
which  actually  took  place  the  following  year. 

The  zeal  of  the  first  members  of  the  Society  of 
Jesus  was  as  great  as  their  spirit  of  poverty. 
Francis  was  starting  for  unknown  regions,  with- 
out so  much  as  thinking  of  the  bare  necessaries  of 
life.  At  the  moment  of  his  last  adieu,  Ignatius 
perceived  this,  and  exclaimed,  “ O Francis,  this  is 
really  too  much ! What,  not  a piece  of  cloth  to 
cover  you  \”  and  taking  off  the  under-waistcoat 
which  protected  his  own  chest  from  the  cold,  he 
compelled  the  fervent  missionary  to  put  it  on.  In 
this  instance,  we  see  two  men,  both  of  noble  birth, 
yet  so  enamored  of  holy  poverty,  that  between 
the  two  there  was  not  even  a second  under-gar- 
ment. Francis  left  Rome  in  company  with  the 


THE  LIFE  OF 


i>6 

ambassador  and  his  suite:  the  journey  occupied 
more  than  three  months:  everywhere  did  he  leave 
behind  him  vestiges  worthy  of  his  virtue.  He 
carried  nothing  with  him  but  himself;  having  his 
poor  patched  habit  on  his  back,  and  his  breviary 
under  his  arm:  having  God  in  his  heart,  he  neither 
wished  for  nor  stood  in  need  of  any  thing  else. 
He  adhered  to  this  same  system  of  apostolic  po- 
verty after  his  arrival  in  the  Indies,  with  this  addi- 
tion, that  when  he  was  travelling  through  idola- 
trous countries,  he  loaded  his  shoulders  with  the 
precious  bundle  containing  the  vestments  and 
other  requisites  for  the  celebration  of  holy  mass. 
By  orders  of  the  ambassador  he  was  provided 
with  an  excellent  saddle-horse,  which,  however, 
was  always  at  the  service  of  any  of  the  party; 
and  whenever  he  saw  any  one  worse  mounted  than 
himself,  an  exchange  was  usually  concerted;  he 
rejoicing,  doubly,  in  being  able  to  gratify  another 
at  some  expense  to  himself.  On  reaching  the  inns, 
or  other  lodging-houses,  he  was  ready  to  assist 
everybody,  even  the  domestics;  and  that  they 
might  have  more  time  to  rest,  he  either  supplied 
their  place,  or,  at  least,  helped  them  in  the  stables, 
preparing  the  horses  ready  for  starting.  Some- 
times, one  or  other  of  the  retinue  would  complain 
of  the  lodging  and  accommodations — and  in  so 
large  a suite,  no  doubt,  many  may  have  been  in- 
convenienced— when  he  invariably  olfered  to  sur- 
render his  room;  he  contenting  himself  anywhere 
on  some  old  bed,  or  even  on  the  bare  ground.  He 
allowed  himself  but  few  hours’  repose,  always 
being  the  last  to  retire  at  night,  and  the  first  to 
rise  in  the  morning;  in  order  that  he  might  be 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  57 

able  both  to  assist  others,  and  pay  his  accustomed 
debt  of  prayer  to  Almighty  God.  For  on  leaving 
Rome,  he  had  predetermined  to  pass  no  day  with- 
out giving  a certain  number  of  hours  to  meditation 
on  the  truths  of  eternity,  a regulation  which  he 
inviolably  maintained.  Though,  in  effect,  with 
the  exception  of  the  time  spent  in  exercises  of 
humility,  as  above  hinted,  and  the  short  rest 
which  he  allowed  himself,  all  his  other  moments 
were  given  to  God:  he  could  with  such  facility 
concentrate  his  mind  on  God,  that  neither  the 
fatigue  of  travelling,  nor  the  distraction  of  place 
or  company,  could  withdraw  him  from  this,  the 
source  of  his  highest  enjoyment.  Especially  now 
when  his  whole  heart  turned  toward  India,  he  re- 
newed the  offering  of  himself  at  every  step,  as  we 
may  say,  making  acts  of  lively  charity.  His  travel- 
ling companions,  however,  contrived  to  monopo- 
lize a good  share  of  his  time;  for  under  the  tedium 
of  a long  journey,  they  found  no  greater  pleasure 
than  that  of  conversing  with  Father  Francis. 
With  his  affability  of  manner  he  was  ever  equal 
to  himself,  cheerful,  kind,  and  indulgent  to  all,  as 
if  all  had  been  his  masters,  or,  rather,  as  if  all  were 
members  of  his  own  family.  Notwithstanding  all 
his  condescension,  his  modesty  so  peculiarly  his 
own,  and  his  continual  union  with  God,  rendered 
him  as  venerable,  and  made  him  be  as  much  re- 
spected, as  his  sweetness  and  affability  caused  him 
to  be  beloved.  Frequently  would  they  beg  him  to 
spare  them  a few  minutes’  chat;  which  he  willingly 
did  ; because,  beginning  on  indifferent  subjects,  he 
passed  on  by  degrees  to  matters  connected  with 
the  welfare  of  their  souls,  according  to  the  lesson 


08 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  practice  which  he  had  learnt  from  Saint  Igna* 
tius;  leading  them  far  away  from  the  opening 
topic,  on  to  the  things  of  God,  with  such  advantage 
to  the  hearts  of  his  hearers  that,  more  than  once, 
the  holy  man  has  been  obliged  to  dismount  and 
stop  on  the  road,  to  hear  confessions  of  some  who 
wished  it  for  their  consolation;  after  -which,  they 
resumed  their  journey. 

They  travelled  by  the  way  of  Loretto,  where 
they  stopped,  for  the  sake  of  devotion,  for  about  a 
week.  They  did  the  same  at  Bologna,  at  the  re- 
quest of  Cardinal  Boniface  Ferreri,  Bishop  of 
Invrea.  The  reader  will  probably  be  glad  to  have 
the  saint’s  own  account  of  this  part  of  the  journey; 
and  here  let  me,  once  for  all,  observe,  that,  when- 
ever I can,  I will  always  make  use  of  his  own 
words,  faithfully  translating  them  from  authentic 
copies  of  his  letters.  He  thus  addresses  himself  to 
S.  Ignatius,  in  a letter,  dated  Bologna,  the  last  day 
of  March,  1540.  “I  received  your  letter  on  Easter 
day,  with  one  enclosed  to  the  Lord  Ambassador, 
with  such  consolation  and  delight  as  God  only 
knows;  and  as  I believe  that  henceforth  we  shall 
only  meet  by  letter  in  this  life,  (but  in  the  next 
‘face  to  face,’  and  with  tender  embraces,)  nothing 
remains  for  us,  during  the  space  of  our  brief 
sojourn  on  earth,  but  often  to  visit  each  other  by 
letter.  In  this  way  I will  do  my  part,  according 
to  your  desire,  and  will  write  minutely,  relating 
events  in  due  order.  I have  spoken  quite  at  my 
ease  to  the  Cardinal  of  Invrea,  as  you  wrote  me 
word  to  do;  he  received  me  most  courteously, 
offering  to  oblige  and  favor  me  in  any  way  in  his 
power.  On  taking  leave  of  me,  the  good  old  man 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


59 


embraced  me,  and  I kissed  his  hand  : toward  the 
middle  of  his  farewell  address,  I knelt  down  at  his 
feet,  and  again  kissed  his  hand  in  the  name  of  ail 
the  society.  As  for  the  Lord  Ambassador,  his 
attentions  are  so  numerous  that  I*  should  never 
end  if  I began  to  give  an  account  of  them;  indeed, 
I know  not  how  I could  accept  them,  were  it  not 
that  I hope  to  repay  him  in  India  with  nothing 
less  than  my  life.  He,  and  other  members  of  his 
retinue,  confessed  and  communicated  on  Palm 
Sunday,  in  the  church  of  our  Lady  of  Loretto, 
where  I said  the  Mass;  and  we  did  the  same  again 
on  Easter-day.  He  recommends  himself  earnestly 
to  your  prayers,  and  still  promises  to  accompany 
me  to  the  Indies.” 

During  his  stay  at  Bologna,  the  Cardinal  was 
not  the  only  person  to  treat  him  with  respect : he 
won  the  affection  of  the  whole  city;  he  labored  so 
effectually  as  to  produce  a general  reformation  of 
manners.  As  soon  as  his  arrival  became  known, 
great  numbers  of  the  inhabitants  hastened  to 
visit  him.  In  order  the  more  easily  to  have 
access  to  him,  Canon  Casalini  enticed  him  away 
from  the  ambassador,  and  prevailed  on  him  to  take 
up  a lodging  in  his  house;  where,  being  unable  to 
satisfy  the  devotion  of  the  people  in  the  course  of 
the  day,  he  frequently  spent  the  night  in  hearing 
confessions  and  solving  doubts;  nor  would  many 
of  them  be  satisfied  unless  he  gave  them  com- 
munion with  his  own  hands.  At  his  departure,  a 
crowd  of  pious  persons  insisted  on  accompanying 
him  for  several  miles,  weeping  bitterly  at  the 
thought  of  never  seeing  him  again  in  this  world; 
%nd  had  ho  consented  to  it,  some  of  them  requested, 


60 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  certainly  would  have  accompanied  him  to  tha 
Indies.  One  universal  burst  of  grief  signalized 
their  parting  farewell.  It  would  require  too  much 
time,  were  I to  insist  on  the  many  various  inci- 
dents which  occurred  during  his  journey  from 
Homo  to  Lisbon  : others  of  more  importance  and 
interest  await  us  in  the  Indies,  to  which  we  are 
hastening:  however,  we  will  not  omit  one  or  two, 
deserving  a more  special  notice. 

The  ambassador  had  in  his  suite  a harbinger  or 
forerunner,  (as  was  usual  with  persons  of  rank  in 
those  days  of  slow  travelling,)  a man  whose  vio- 
lence of  temper  often  made  him  brutal  and  savage 
One  day,  his  lordship  reproved  him  for  his  negli- 
gence in  not  procuring  suitable  accommodations; 
at  which  the  man  being  much  exasperated,  he 
gave  way  to  a fit  of  anger  in  presence  of  his 
fellow-travellers,  using  expressions  unfit  to  pass 
the  lips  of  any  man.  The  saint  heard  him,  but 
was  silent  at  the  time,  lest  otherwise  he  might  fan 
the  flame  of  ungoverned  rage  which  was  agitating 
the  servant;  resolving,  however,  to  watch  the  first 
opportunity  of  making  him  sensible  of  his  fault, 
lie  waited  till  the  following  day,  when  he  expected 
the  anger  to  have  cooled  down  a little,  and  when 
he  knew  the  man  would  as  usual  set  out  before  the 
rest,  in  order  to  provide  accommodations  at  the 
next  halting-place:  as  soon  as  he  was  fairly  off, 
Xavier  requested  the  loan  of  a good  horse,  (a  thing 
which  he  had  never  done  before,)  and  set  off  hastily 
in  pursuit : the  issue  showed  that  he  was  guided 
by  the  impulse  of  God,  who  no  doubt  revealed  to 
him  what  was  going  to  happen;  for  he  overtook 
the  messenger  precisely  at  the  moment  when  his 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


61 


norse  stumbled  over  a precipice,  and  as  he  fell  under- 
most, his  preservation  must  have  been  miraculous, 
for  the  horse  was  killed  on  the  spot.  The  saint 
dismounted,  and  with  much  difficulty  succeeded  in 
extricating  him  from  his  perilous  position  ; then 
putting  him  on  his  horse,  he  took  the  opportunity 
of  saying  a few  words  so  much  to  the  point,  that 
the  poor  man’s  heart  was  penetrated,  and,  in 
sorrow  for  his  fault  of  the  previous  evening,  he 
insisted  on  returning  to  beg  pardon  of  his  com- 
panions for  the  scandal  he  had  given  them;  and 
from  thenceforward  he  was  quite  changed  into  a 
new  man. 

Nor  was  Francis  less  serviceable  to  the  soul  and 
body  of  the  ambassador’s  master  of  the  horse,  who 
was  greatly  indebted  to  his  charity,  merits,  and 
prayers.  The  cavalcade  had  reached  a river, 
which,  from  its  depth,  rendered  the  passage  dan- 
gerous: the  master  of  the  horse,  partly  in  youth- 
ful levity,  and  partly  in  rash  daring,  which  his 
profession  was  so  likely  to  inspire,  resolved  to  ford 
the  river  and  act  as  guide  to  the  rest;  accordingly 
he  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  and  plunged  boldly  in; 
but  the  animal  was  instantly  beyond  his  depth, 
and  rose  to  the  surface  of  the  water : the  current, 
being  extremely  impetuous,  carried  away  both 
horse  and  rider,  to  the  distance  of  at  least  half  a 
mile.  His  companions  on  the  river’s  edge  were 
petrified  with  horror,  giving  him  up  for  lost,  yet 
crying  aloud  to  Heaven  for  help,  whilst  the  ambas- 
sador, who  was  much  attached  to  his  attendant, 
wept  bitterly.  Father  Francis,  calmly  recollected 
within  himself,  poured  forth  most  fervent  prayer 
for  immediate  succor,  as  he  saw  the  danger  to  be 


62 


THE  LIFE  OF 


imminent:  his  prayer  was  heard;  and  at  the  very 
moment  when  the  young  man  sunk,  apparently  to 
rise  no  more,  the  horse  stood  up  erect,  not  owing 
to  the  rider’s  skill,  for  he  was  so  completely  ex- 
hausted as  to  be  unconscious  of  what  was  passing; 
and  even  had  it  been  otherwise,  he  owned  that  his 
ability  would  have  been  of  no  avail  in  so  desperate 
a case : however  this  might  be,  they  were  carried 
safe  and  sound  to  the  opposite  bank.  Fearful  as 
the  catastrophe  might  have  proved,  the  soul  of  the 
poor  man  seems  to  have  been  in  greater  danger 
than  his  body;  for  just  before  he  left  Rome,  he 
had  been  powerfully  called  by  God  to  embrace  the 
religious  state,  a call  which  he  had  obstinately  and 
knowingly  rejected.  The  escape  led  to  a beautiful 
contest  of  humility  between  the  ambassador  and 
Xavier;  the  former  declaring  that  the  young  man’s 
preservation  was  due  to  the  prayers  of  the  saint 
whilst  he,  on  his  side,  ascribed  it  to  the  tears  of 
the  ambassador.  In  the  mean  time,  his  companions 
hastened  to  the  succor  of  the  sufferer,  cordially 
congratulating  with  him,  and  eagerly  assisting 
him  to  a change  of  dress,  &c.;  after  which  Xavier 
looked  to  that  which  was  of  far  greater  import- 
ance than  the  body. 

Whilst  the  remembrance  of,  and  gratitude  for 
preservation  from  his  recent  danger,  were  still 
vivid  in  his  mind,  the  holy  man  asked  him  what 
subject  had  weighed  most  heavily  on  his  soul,  at 
the  moment  when  death  was  staring  him  in  the 
face.  He  sincerely  acknowledged,  that  when  he 
believed  himself  on  the  point  of  appearing  at  the 
judgment-seat  of  God,  the  religious  order,  to  which 
ho  had  so  lately  felt  himself  called,  rose  up  before 


6AINT  .FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


63 


his  mind,  together  with  severe  remorse  of  con- 
science; declaring  that  the  dread  of  having  to 
atone  for,  and  to  give  an  account  of  this  neglected 
grace,  had  been  more  terrible  than  the  very  death 
which  he  was  actually  encountering.  Francis 
availed  himself  of  so  favorable  an  opportunity, 
insisting  much  on  the  young  man's  neglect  of  his 
salvation,  and  of  the  atrocious  sufferings  prepared 
for  sinners;  in  fine,  he  spoke  with  as  much  energy 
and  feeling  as  if  the  other  had  been  rescued  from  the 
flames  of  hell,  instead  of  from  the  waters  of  a river. 

But  the  dangers  of  the  travellers  and  the  charity 
of  Xavier  did  not  end  here.  In  crossing  the  Alps, 
the  Secretary  missed  his  path  in  the  snow,  which 
was  unusually  deep  that  year,  and  unfortunately 
fell  from  the  side  of  one  of  the  mountains  into  a 
deep  precipice,  which  he  had  not  perceived  in  con- 
sequence of  the  hollow  being  apparently  firm, 
though  in  reality  it  was  full  of  drifted  snow.  God 
was  pleased  to  arrest  his  fall  before  he  quite  reached 
the  bottom,  otherwise  he  would  have  been  precipi- 
tated into  a torrent  which  ran  along  the  foot  of  the 
mountain:  as  it  was,  his  position  was  so  dangerous 
that  no  one  would  venture  the  descent  with  a view 
to  his  rescue:  Francis  alone  had  courage,  or  rather 
the  charity,  to  make  the  attempt.  He  was  low- 
ered with  ropes  to  the  spot  where  the  unfortunate 
Secretary  was  suspended,  whom  he  first  placed  in 
safety,  though  not  without  considerable  difficulty, 
after  which  he  made  good  his  own  ascent.  The 
rescued  man  was  truly  grateful  to  his  deliverer, 
whom  he  called  the  father  of  his  life;  and  the 
saint,  availing  himself  of  his  affection,  as  he  had 
done  with  regard  to  the  other  two  whom  he  saved 


64 


THE  LIFE  OF 


from  death,  turned  all  to  the  profit  and  amendment 
of  his  soul, — the  first  and  chief  object  of  his  solid 
tude  in  whatever  he  undertook  for  others. 

After  crossing  the  Pyrenees,  they  passed  within 
a short  distance  of  Xavier  Castle,  where  Francis 
was  born,  and  where  his  mother  still  resided.  The 
ambassador  expected  that  he  would  ask  permission 
to  swerve  a little  from  the  main  road,  in  order  to 
visit  the  venerable  old  lady  and  his  brothers,  and 
give  them,  at  least,  the  melancholy  satisfaction  of 
a last  adieu ; but  finding  that  the  saint  did  not 
even  allude  to  the  subject,  the  ambassador  re- 
minded him  of  the  locality,  and  earnestly  entreated 
him  to  go,  if  not  for  his  own  sake,  at  least  for  the 
ambassador’s,  who  would  wish  to  show  respect 
and  courtesy  to  so  noble  a family;  especially  as 
Xavier  had  been  separated  from  them  for  so  many 
years,  and  was  now  on  the  point  of  leaving 
Europe,  with  little  chance  of  ever  seeing  his  aged 
mother  again  on  earth.  But  the  saint,  who,  from 
the  hour  when  he  forsook  all  earthly  things  for 
Cod,  had  not  another  thought  for  any  thing 
belonging  to  himself,  such  as  country,  relatives,  or 
any  other  human  tie,  could  not  be  persuaded  to 
turn,  so  much  as  a few  steps,  out  of  the  direct 
road  of  his  apostolic  mission,’  saying,  that  he  had 
rather  defer  seeing  his  friends  till  he  could  meet 
them  in  heaven,  when  the  meeting,  instead  of 
being  transitory  and  all-but  useless,  would  be  ever- 
lasting in  the  perfect  enjoyment  of  God  himself. 
Mascaregnas,  who  was  a man  of  lemarkable  pru- 
dence and  penetration,  had  closely  observed  every 
motion  of  the  saint  ; he  was  then  thoroughly  con- 
vinced of  his  exalted  virtue,  and  had  conceived 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


05 


such  an  esteem  for  him,  that,  whilst  they  were 
still  on  the  journey,  he  sent  forward  a courier  with 
despatches  to  the  king,  the  chief  contents  whereof 
consisted  of  the  praises  of  Father  Francis,  whom 
he  was  conducting  with  him  for  the  service  of  his 
majesty,  and  for  the  conversion  of  the  Indies,  in- 
sisting so  much  on  his  charity,  innocence,  humility, 
disengagement  from  all  earthly  things,  and  self- 
contempt, that  the  king  was  highly  delighted,  and 
published  the  news  throughout  his  court,  the 
members  of  which,  no  less  than  their  sovereign, 
were  most  anxious  to  become  acquainted  with  a 
person  of  such  eminent  virtue. 

Francis  arrived  at  Lisbon  toward  the  end  of 
June,  and  chose  for  his  lodging  the  hospital  of  All 
Saints,  where  his  two  religious  brothers,  who  had 
accomplished  the  journey  by  sea,  were  alreadj 
domiciled.  Here  he  encountered  Father  Simon 
at  the  very  hour  when  his  attack  of  quartan  fevei 
was  about  to  come  on,  but  as  he  embraced  him  he 
completely  cured  him,  by  a sweet  miracle  of  his 
charity,  nor  did  he,  from  that  time,  experience  the 
slightest  return  of  his  long-standing  and  very 
tedious  malady.  On  the  third  day  after  his  arrival 
they  were  both  summoned  to  court,  where  the  kin^ 
and  queen  received  Xavier  with  the  respect  due 
to  a saint ; they  seemed  as  if  they  could  never  be 
satisfied  that  they  had  sufficiently  conversed  with 
him; — first  one,  then  the  other,  asking  questions* 
chiefly  with  regard  to  the  mode  of  life  of  the  new 
Institute;  and  the  furious  persecution  raised  against 
Saint  Ignatius  at  Rome,  with  which  the  whole  world 
was  then  resounding,  rejoicing  in  the  admirable 
providence  of  God  in  turning  to  his  honor,  and 
E 6* 


66 


THE  LIFE  OF 


as  proofs  of  his  innocence,  the  very  things  which  his 
adversaries  had  planned  for  his  destruction.  Their 
majesties  would  also  have  him  introduced  to  their 
royal  children,  the  Prince  Don  John  and  the  Prin- 
cess Donna  Maria,  placing  them  under  the  spirit- 
ual care  and  guidance  of  Xavier  and  Kodriguez,  at 
least  till  the  time  of  their  departure  for  the  Indies, 
which  could  not  be  before  the  spring  of  the  follow- 
ing year.  The  junior  members  of  the  Portuguese 
nobility,  amounting  to  nearly  a hundred,  then 
forming  the  court  of  the  young  princes,  were  also 
committed  to  the  care  of  the  two  fathers,  to  be 
by  them  trained  up  in  habits  of  Christian  piety. 
Their  majesties  then  dismissed  them,  and  they  re- 
turned to  the  hospital;  for  they  would  on  no 
account  consent  to  accept  a lodging  either  at 
court  or  at  any  of  the  magnificent  houses  offered 
them  by  the  king’s  ministers;  nor  would  they 
accept  the  supply  of  provisions  assigned  them  by 
rojml  order,  going  out  at  a certain  fixed  hour 
to  beg  their  daily  sustenance  through  the  streets 
of  Lisbon,  until  they  found  their  time  so  fully 
occupied  in  assisting  souls,  that  they  judged  it 
better  to  avail  themselves,  in  part,  of  his  majesty’s 
liberal  offers,  as  then  their  time  could  be  more  pro- 
fitably employed  for  others  than  in  seeking  alms 
for  themselves ; nevertheless,  they  always  reserved 
one  day  in  the  week  on  which  they  resumed  their 
reluctantly-resigned  custom  of  begging  from  door 
to  door,-— less  from  necessity  than  humility,  it  is 
true.  Martin  Azpilqueta,  commonly  called  the 
Doctor  of  Navarre,  who  was  Xavier’s  maternal 
uncle,  and  who  then  filled  the  first  chair  in  the 
University  of  Coimbra,  hearing  of  his  nephew's 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


67 


arrival  in  Lisbon,  wrote  most  urgent  letters  to  the 
king,  entreating  his  majesty  to  send  Francis  to 
Coimbra,  that,  if  for  nothing  else,  he  might  have 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  him,  and  of  giving  hjm 
\ last  embrace  previous  to  his  departure  for  the 
Indies.  By  way  of  prevailing  on  the  king,  the 
doctor  promised,  if  he  would  but  grant  this  favor, 
to  give,  free  of  stipend,  two  extra  lessons  in  the 
University;  one  of  mystical  theology,  the  other 
of  canon  law;  promising,  moreover,  at  some  future 
time,  to  follow  Father  Francis  to  the  Indies,  and 
there  preach  the  gospel : but  his  offers  and  entreat- 
ies proved  of  no  avail, — the  remonstrances  of  the 
saint  influencing  the  king  far  more  than  the  wishes 
of  the  Navarese.  Xavier  did  not  go  to  Coimbra. 
With  regard  to  accepting  him  as  the  companion  of 
his  missionary  labors  in  the  Indies,  Azpilqueta 
thus  wrote  : — “I  would  have  gone  at  that  time,  and 
there  have  died,  if  he,  when  he  left  Lisbon,  had 
not  thought  me  in  my  old  age  unequal  to  the 
labors  which  he  foresaw  must  be  undergone ; he 
wrote  to  me,  therefore,  recommending  me  to  bear 
patiently  the  affliction  arising  from  his  absence, 
with  the  hope  of  enjoying  his  company  in  heaven.” 

It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  the  fervor  of 
spirit,  and  the  corresponding  amount  of  fruit,  re- 
rulting  from  the  labors  of  Francis  and  Bodriguez; 
by  preaching  in  various  parts  of  the  city;  by 
administering  the  sacraments,  appeasing  discord, 
converting  dissolute  men  of  rank  by  means  of  the 
Spiritual  Exercises;  by  daily  visiting  the  prisons 
of  the  Inquisition,  which  were  committed  to  their 
charge;  by  the  wonderful  amendment  of  manners 
among  the  nobility,  especially  at  court,  and  by 


68 


THE  LIFE  Or 


other  good  works,  which  acquired  for  them  the 
name  of  apostles,  with  which  the  king  and  people 
unanimously  honored  them ; a precious  inheritance 
which  they  transmitted  to  their  successors  in  the 
Society. 

The  high  opinion  in  which  they  were  universally 
held  induced  others  to  join  them,  who  willingly 
adopted  their  mode  of  life  : indeed,  affairs  went  on 
so  prosperously  with  them,  that  Xavier  actually 
made  it  a subject  of  lamentation;  well  knowing 
that  when  great  things  are  undertaken  for  God, 
they  seldom  or  never  lead  to  great  results,  unless 
they  encounter  a good  deal  of  opposition,  espe- 
cially at  the  beginning. 

Time  stole  on  while  they  were  thus  laboring  for 
the  good  cause  in  Portugal;  the  season  for  sailing 
to  the  East  was  approaching,  and  the  ships  were 
already  in  course  of  preparation.  But  the  king 
was  so  delighted  with  them,  and  the  reformation 
of  manners,  effected  at  court  and  among  the 
nobility  and  common  people,  was  so  evident,  that 
he  could  not  make  up  his  mind  to  deprive  himself 
of  them;  and  he  thought  he  should  be  guilty  of  a 
great  mistake,  if  he  made  more  account  of  strango 
and  distant  countries,  than  he  did  of  his  own  more 
immediate  dominions.  The  subject  was  seriously 
discussed  in  council,  and  good  reasons  were 
adduced  on  both  sides.  The  Infant  Don  Henry 
warmly  espoused  the  cause  of  India,  whereas  his 
majesty  took  the  opposite  view;  the  council 
yielded  to  his  opinion,  and  it  was  decided  that  the 
fathers  should  not  leave  Portugal.  Worse  news 
than  this  could  not  possibly  have  reached  the  ears 
of  Xavier  and  Rodriguez,  to  whom  their  long 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  69 

delay  already  seemed  insupportable;  and  now 
when  they  were  on  the  point  of  starting,  to  find 
themselves  suddenly  deprived  of  all  hope  of  going, 
was  really  a heavy  blow.  They  wrote  imme- 
diately to  Saint  Ignatius,  imploring  his  advice  and 
aid.  To  be  the  more  secure  of  acting  in  conform- 
ity with  the  will  of  God,  he  consulted  the  Pope, 
who  was  of  opinion  that  the  decision  should  be 
left  entirely  to  the  King  of  Portugal;  and  that  the 
fathers  should  either  remain  there,  or  proceed  to 
the  Indies,  according  to  his  majesty’s  good  pleasure. 
But  as  Almighty  God  had  destined  Xavier  for  the 
East,  he  inspired  Ignatius  with  the  thought  of 
writing  to  Mascaregnas,  and  of  telling  him  that 
Xavier  and  Rodriguez  were  both  entirely  at  the 
disposal  of  the  king;  yet,  if  his  majesty  should 
wish  for  his  (Ignatius’s)  opinion,  it  seemed  to  him 
advisable  to  give  Xavier  to  the  Indies,  and  detain 
Rodriguez  in  Portugal,  by  which  means  both 
parties  would  be  satisfied.  This  proposition  was 
accepted.  God,  who  had  suggested  it  to  the  mind 
of  Ignatius,  likewise  disposed  the  mind  of  the 
king  to  acquiesce  in  it.  And  surely  the  detention 
of  Rodriguez  in  Portugal  was  by  the  special 
appointment  of  Heaven  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Indies;  for  to  him  in  great  measure  the  Society 
was  indebted  for  the  foundation  of  the  illustrious 
Portuguese  province,  and  especially  of  the  famous 
college  of  Coimbra,  from  whence  annually  pro- 
ceeded so  many  fervent  workmen  to  labor  in  the 
vineyard  of  the  East  with  such  wonderful  success 
for  the  benefit  of  souls.  The  vessels  destined  for 
the  Indies  were  now  nearly  ready  : merchants  had 
long  been  employed  in  making  the  necessary 


TO 


THE  LIFE  OF 


arrangements;  provisions  to  supply  the  necessities 
of  such  multitudes  of  people  of  every  class  had 
been  furnished,  when  King  John  III.  sent  for 
Xavier,  to  announce  the  approaching  departure  of 
the  fleet;  and,  being  fully  convinced  of  his  pru- 
dence no  less  than  of  his  exalted  sanctity,  he 
treated  him  in  the  most  familiar  and  confidential 
manner,  warmly  recommending  to  his  care  the 
interests  of  God  and  of  his  crown;  empowering 
the  father  to  visit  the  fortresses  and  presidencies 
established  by  the  Portuguese;  ordering  him  to 
send  him  a minute  and  faithful  account  of  what- 
ever he  might  deem  advisable  for  the  maintenance 
of  piety  among  the  people  already  converted,  as 
well  as  for  the  propagation  of  the  faith  among  the 
infidels;  committing  to  his  zeal  and  toils  both  the 
Christians  and  the  pagans  of  India;  and  not  only 
of  India,  but  of  Ethiopia  too;  a territory  with 
which  he  expected  to  open  amicable  relations  in  a 
very  short  time.  And,  in  order  that  he  might  with 
more  authority  and  less  contradiction  carry  out 
his  plans  in  the  service  of  God  and  the  conversion 
of  the  people,  his  majesty  bade  him  accept  the 
briefs  whereby  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  created  him 
his  Nuncio ; as  he  said  this,  he  presented  him  the 
four  briefs  which,  unknown  to  Xavier,  had  been 
expedited  in  Rome,  dated  respectively  the  twenty- 
seventh  of  July,  the  second  of  August,  and  the 
two  last,  the  fourth  of  October,  all  of  the  same 
year,  1540.  In  two  of  them,  his  Holiness  con- 
stitutes Xavier  his  apostolic  Nuncio,  giving  him 
ample  faculties  befitting  such  an  office,  for  the 
maintenance  and  extension  of  the  faith  in  the  East: 
in  the  third,  he  recommends  him  to  David,  Empe- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  71 

ror  of  Ethiopia;  and  in  the  last  he  recommends  to 
all  the  princes  and  rulers  of  the  various  countries 
and  islands,  extending  from  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  along  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa,  the  Persian 
Gulf,  and  in  both  sections  of  India,  that  is,  above 
and  below  the  Ganges. 

And  here  I may  be  permitted  to  notice  an  over- 
sight on  the  part  of  most  authors  who  have  written 
about  Xavier;  all  of  whom  allude  to  his  refined 
obedience  in  accepting  the  missions  of  India  at  the 
command  of  Ignatius,  whom  he  was  not  bound  to 
obey ; because,  as  the  Society  was  not  yet  duly 
founded,  nor  Ignatius  as  yet  elected  General,  he 
had  no  right  of  authority  over  one  who,  properly 
speaking,  was  not  yet  his  subject;  whereas,  in  real 
truth,  in  this  act  Xavier  yielded  obedience  imme- 
diately to  the  Pope,  at  whose  disposal,  for  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Church,  he  had  actually  placed  himself 
by  vow,  as  we  have  already  shown ; nor  had  Igna- 
tius any  other  part  in  the  affair,  than  that  of 
selecting  the  persons  whom  he  judged  best  suited 
to  the  purpose;  and  this  he  did  in  consequence  of 
faculties  given  to  him  by  the  same  pontiff.  The 
three  Auditors  of  the  Rota,  when  they  began  a 
relation  of  the  virtues  and  miracles  of  Xavier, 
with  a view  to  his  canonization,  expressly  notice 
the  singular  privilege  of  his  having  been  appointed 
to  the  Apostolate  of  the  Indies  by  the  authority 
of  the  Holy  See,  which  destined  him  to  this  im- 
portant office.  We  will  quote  their  words,  worthy 
alike  of  their  authors  and  of  the  saint: — “The 
evangelical  net  belonging  to  the  bark  of  Peter, 
(from  whence  Christ  our  Lord  preached,)  when 
cast  into  the  sea,  enclosed  such  a multitude  of 


72 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fishes  as  sufficed  to  fill  two  boats  almost  to  sink- 
ing: this  net  admirably  symbolizes  the  preaching 
of  the  faith  of  the  Gospel,  which,  from  the  bitter 
sea  of  infidelity,  draws  vast  multitudes  of  rational 
fish,  when  cast  upon  the  waters  by  the  Roman 
See,  the  bark  of  Peter.  England  was  won  over  to 
Christ  by  Augustin;  the  greater  part  of  Germany 
by  Boniface;  Franconia  by  Chilian;  Albania  by 
Eleutherius;  Livonia  by  Maynard;  Norway  by 
Nicholas;  whilst  other  countries  were  won  by 
other  apostolic  men.  Gregory  the  Great  sent  Au- 
gustin; Cono  sent  Chilian;  Gregory  II..  Boniface; 
Anecitus,  Eleutherius;  Alexander  III.,  Maynard: 
others  were  sent  by  Nicholas  I.  to  convert  Mo- 
ravia; others  by  Stephen  VII.  to  convert  the  Bohe- 
mians; others  by  Agapetus  II.  to  win  over  the 
Banes.  In  this  manner  did  the  Church  carry  her 
thoughts  over  the  whole  world;  making  herself 
heard  by  the  voice  of  her  apostles  to  its  utmost 
limits;  fishing  and  enclosing  within  her  nets  what- 
ever was  outside  her  bark.  And  truly  such  was 
the  result  of  their  labors,  that  Imperial  Rome  con- 
quered fewer  subjects  by  force  of  arms,  than 
Christian  Rome  by  means  of  Peter’s  net  But  of 
all  the  fishermen  employed  by  the  Holy  See,  none 
went  so  far,  none  penetrated  such  distant  countries, 
as  (is  still  in  the  memory  of  our  fathers)  Francis 
Xavier;  who,  sent  by  Paul  III.  to  distant  isles  and 
nations,  spread  his  net  to  the  uttermost  shores  of 
the  East,  and  collected  such  multitudes  of  fish,  that, 
being  unable  to  draw  them  to  land  himself,  wa* 
often  obliged  to  summon  his  companions  to  go 
and  help  him.  So  many  were  gained  by  Xavier, 
most  holy  Father,  that  his  fishing  alone  has  added 


-SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


73 


to  the  Church  such  flocks  of  various  people  in  the 
East,  of  all  tribes  and  tongues,  as  to  be  beyond  the 
reach  of  computation.  Acknowledge  the  power 
of  Peter’s  bark,  the  efficacy  of  its  nets,  and  the 
fruitful  industry  of  your  fishermen  by  etc.,  etc 
Being  now  clearly  destined  to  the  Indies,  the 
royal  purveyor  of  the  fleet,  Don  Anthony  Ataida, 
Count  of  Castanera,  requested  Xavier  to  give  him 
a list  in  writing,  as  the  other  missionaries  did,  of 
whatever  he  should  require  for  his  expedition:  he 
made  him  the  most  courteous  and  obliging  offers,  at 
the  express  command  of  the  king,  who  desired 
that  the  saint  should  be  provided  with  all  that 
he  might  ask  for.  But  he  who  wants  nothing 
asks  for  nothing:  an  amicable  contest  arose  be- 
tween Xavier  and  the  count,  of  courtesy  on  the  one 
side,  and  humility  on  the  other:  the  count,  who  was 
warmly  attached  to  him,  besought  him  to  accept 
the  offer  of  royal  munificence;  whilst  Xavier  be- 
sought the  count  not  to  wrest  from  him  his  beloved 
poverty;  a treasure  which  left  him  without  a de- 
sire, because  it  left  him  without  a want.  How- 
ever, not  to  appear  haughty,  or  contemptuous  of 
a generosity  which  was  in  itself  a virtue,  Xavier 
yielded  so  far  as  to  accept  a few  spiritual  books,  and 
three  coarse  felt  cloaks,  one  for  himself,  and  one 
for  each  of  his  two  companions,  Father  Paul  de 
Camerino,  and  Francis  Mansella;  the  former 
having  accompanied  Rodriguez  from  Rome,  and 
the  other  joined  him  after  his  arrival  in  Lisbon. 
To  give  so  little,  seemed  to  the  count  like  giving 
nothing  at  all;  so,  renewing  the  assault,  he  en- 
treated Xavier  at  least  not  to  refuse  the  offer  of  a 
servant,  required  by  the  dignity  of  his  office,  if  not 
1 


74 


THE  LIFE  OF 


necessary  to  his  personal  convenience;  for,  after 
all,  he  was  Apostolic  Nuncio;  and  it  would  there- 
fore be  degrading  to  his  rank  to  be  seen  washing 
his  own  dirty  linen,  or  preparing  his  own  meals 
among  the  rabble  at  the  common  fire.  The 
count  hoped  that  this  line  of  argument  would 
prevail;  and  though  it  was  apparently  plausible 
enough,  it  was  in  reality  deduced  from  the  phi- 
losophy of  this  world,  which  strives  to  rule  even 
in  the  things  of  God:  the  wisdom  of  the  flesh  is 
folly,  as  the  Apostle  says;  whilst,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  wisdom  of  Christ  is  as  folly  to  the 
world.  Xavier  replied  that,  however  vile  such 
services  might  appear,  they  would  not  degrade 
the  dignity  of  the  Nunciature,  in  the  opinion  of 
any  one  who  understood  the  real  value  of  things; 
adding  that  base  human  respects,  more  than  any 
thing  else,  had  reduced  the  Church  to  her  present 
deplorable  state;  and,  concluding  with  more  than 
his  usual  warmth,  he  declared  that,  so  long  as 
Almighty  God  allowed  him  the  use  of  his  hands 
and  feet,  he  would  never  consent  to  be  waited  on 
by  others.  He  thus  freed  himself  from  the  kind 
importunity  of  the  royal  purveyor,  who  used 
afterward  highly  to  praise  Father  Francis,  and 
said  he  had  more  trouble  in  persuading  him  to 
accept  a few  books  and  a rough  cloak  than  in 
gratifying  the  insatiable  demands  of  others. 

The  more  than  moderate  necessities  of  Xavier 
being  thus  supplied,  he  went  on  board  the  flag- 
ship called  the  Saint  James , on  the  7th  of  April, 
1541, — on  his  own  birthday,  he  then  entering 
his  six-and-thirtieth  year, — sailing  in  company 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  1 .t 

with  Don  Martin  di  Soza,  the  new  Governoi  of 
the  Indies. 

So  great  have  been  the  improvements  in  the  art 
of  navigation,  and  so  great  are  the  present  facili- 
ties of  travelling  both  by  land  and  sea,  that  the 
modern  reader  would  scarcely  credit  the  amount 
of  hardship  and  inconvenience  to  be  encountered 
in  the  voyage  from  Europe  to  the  East  Indies  in 
the  days  of  Saint  Francis  Xavier : it  seems  neces- 
sary, however,  to  the  interest  of  our  history  to 
give  some  details  of  his  journey  and  of  the  fleet 
which  conveyed  him. 

The  ships — or  galleons,  as  they  were  called — 
destined  to  traverse  that  vast  expanse  of  water 
exceeding  the  distance  of  fifteen  thousand  miles, 
were  of  enormous  size,  divided  into  four  or  five 
stories,  suited  to  the  accommodation  of  an  immense 
multitude  of  men,  such  as  sailors,  soldiers,  slaves, 
merchants,  officers,  and  others  of  every  rank, 
together  with  merchandise,  luggage,  furniture,  &c 
The  number  on  board  amounted  to  eight  hundred 
or  a thousand,  and  sometimes  more.  The  value 
of  the  cargo  often  exceeded  a million  of  reals,  ana 
so  enormous  in  bulk,  that,  when  seen  on  the  quays, 
one  would  think  it  impossible  to  be  stowed  away 
within  the  compass  of  a ship;  and  yet  it  scarcely 
suffices  for  ballast.  Then,  again,  must  be  con- 
sidered the  arms  and  ammunition,  and  the  supply 
of  provisions  necessary  to  feed  a thousand  humap 
beings,  perhaps  for  eight  months.  The  fabrication 
furnishing,  and  maintaining  these  immense  ship? 
could  only  be  done  at  the  expense  of  a great  king 
When  the  voyage  was  prosperous,  it  was  usually 
accomplished  in  about  six  months ; but  when  dis- 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ib 

ast^  as,  as  was  the  case  the  year  Saint  Francis 
Xavier  undertook  it,  much  more  time  was  con- 
sumed upon  it.  The  misery  and  inconvenience 
to  be  endured  are  beyond  conception,  as  contrasted 
with  our  present  luxurious  East  India  steamers. 
Besides  being  shut  up  for  so  many  months  with  a 
set  of  men,  generally  speaking,  debased  in  manners 
and  in  morals,  there  was  the  unwholesome  diet, 
confined  to  biscuits  and  salted  provisions,  the  want 
of  ventilation,  the  squalor,  the  offensive  odor,  each 
disagreeable  enough  in  its  own  way.  Yet  all  this 
was  as  nothing  to  the  travellers  in  comparison  with 
other  inevitable  evils.  In  the  first  place,  whilst 
sailing  along  the  coast  of  Africa,  the  perpetual  and 
violent  agitation  of  the  waves  deranged  the 
strongest  system,  producing  such  straining  of  the 
organs  as  frequently  to  rupture  a blood-vessel, 
attended  by  a consequent  vomiting  of  blood.  The 
calms  on  the  coast  of  Guinea  sometimes  detained 
them  for  weeks,  when  the  air  and  water  seemed 
like  fire,  and  they  were  left  without  a breath  of 
wind  : this  reduced  them  to  a state  of  extreme 
languor;  delirium  was  of  common  occurrence,  and 
an  utter  loss  of  appetite.  Twice  had  they  to  cross 
the  equinoctial  line  in  the  torrid  zone,  when  their 
provisions  putrefied  and  their  fresh  water  turned 
corrupt,  so  that  they  could  scarcely  take  sufficient 
to  keep  themselves  alive;  and  when  they  did 
drink  this  water,  they  usually  swallowed  it  with 
closed  e3’es,  to  spare  themselves  the  horror  of  see- 
ing what  they  were  taking.  Venomous  showers 
were  not  uncommon,  which  produced  blisters  and 
wounds;  and  still  worse  wTas  the  malady  which 
usually  assailed  the  crews  as  they  approached  a 


SAIN1  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  77 

certain  small  island  called  Loanda,  belonging  to 
the  kingdom  of  Congo.  Here  a burning  thirst- 
caused  the  gums  to  swell  immoderately,  so  as 
quite  to  cover  the  teeth;  the  legs  swelled,  pesti- 
lent imposthumes  formed,  and  the  humor,  mount- 
ing graduall}-  to  the  vitals,  produced  raving  mad- 
ness, and  finally  destroyed  the  life  of  the  victim 
Formidable,  too,  are  the  tempests  in  those  lati- 
tudes, when  the  enormous  masts  of  the  ship  are 
shivered  as  easily  as  if  they  were  composed  of 
some  frail  cane  : irregular  as  storms  may  be  else- 
where, they  were  sure  to  be  encountered  at  a 
certain  point  of  Africa  called  Cape  Tempestuous, 
but  now,  to  mitigate  in  some  degree  the  terror  ot 
the  poor  sailors  and  voyagers,  called  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope.  Endless  would  be  the  task  of  de- 
scribing all  the  dangers  from  shoals,  rocks,  sand- 
banks, marine  monsters,  and  cannibals,  to  which 
our  forefathers  were  liable  when  they  ventured 
upon  a passage  to  the  East  Indies.  At  the  time  of 
which  we  are  writing,  travellers  were  accustomed 
on  these  occasions  to  carry  a winding-sheet  with 
them, — a poor  defence,  it  must  be  owned,  against 
the  voracity  of  the  fishes,  whose  prey  they  would 
become  in  the  event  of  their  dying  on  board  a 
ship.  The  difficulties  and  dangers  here  described 
in  brief  will  enable  us  to  form  some  idea  of  the 
ardent  charity  which  burned  in  the  heart  of  our 
Apostle,  who  for  the  glory  of  his  crucified  Savior 
joyfully  quitted  Europe  and  exposed  himself  to 
trials  sufficient  to  damp  any  thing  less  than  the 
most  fervent  zeal  or  the  most  insatiable  avarice. 
It  remains  for  us  now  to  give  some  details  of  the 
ardent  charity  displayed  by  Xavier  in  the  course 
7* 


78 


THE  LI  EE  OF 


of  an  unusually  long  and  disastrous  voyage.  As 
he  never  felt  his  own  maladies,  or,  if  he  felt  them, 
applied  any  other  remedy  than  that  of  attending 
to  the  sufferings  of  others,  so  during  this  voyage 
he  devoted  himself  to  the  relief  of  the  bodies  and 
souls  of  his  fellow-travellers : he  was  their  doctor, 
infirmarian,  comforter,  father,  servant:  in  fine,  he 
was  every  thing  to  every  one.  There  were  nearly 
a thousand  persons  in  the  same  ship  with  him: 
several  died;  and  but  few  escaped  a long  illness,  so 
universal  and  dangerous  was  the  infection  that 
year.  The  wretched  sufferers  la}7  here  and  there 
in  all  directions ; and,  being  in  such  great  numbers, 
they  robbed  each  other,  when  they  could,  of  the 
scanty  pittance  furnished  them  by  those  who  were 
still  in  health.  Xavier,  who  belonged  equally  to 
all,  bestowed  his  charitable  services  on  all,  without 
distinction  of  rank  : he  was  incessantly  passing 
from  one  to  another,  preparing  and  giving  them 
medicines,  or  feeding  such  of  them  as  were  too 
weak  to  help  themselves,  or  washing  their  filthy 
rags,  even  emptying  and  purifying  the  common 
vessels.  But  above  all  did  he  prepare  the  dying 
to  make  their  confessions,  reconciling  them  to  God, 
praying  for  and  with  them,  and  supporting  them 
in  their  last  awful  passage ; and  he  continued  all 
this  at  a time  when  he  was  much  more  fit  for  rest 
and  refreshment  than  for  labor.  For  two  whole 
months  he  suffered  from  nausea,  vomiting,  and 
that  extreme  languor  induced  by  the  calms  and 
insufferable  heat  of  Guinea.  The  Governor  di 
Soza  offered  him  his  own  table;  but  witnessing,  as 
he  did,  so  many  objects  of  misery,  he  could  not 
consent  to  feast  on  delicacies.  It  is  true,  he 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


79 


accepted  the  portion  which  was  daily  sent  him  by 
Di  Soza  ; but  he  never  touched  a mouthful  of  it 
himself,  the  whole  of  it  being  divided  among  the 
most  necessitous  of  the  sick,  he  begging  a few 
crusts  of  bread  from  the  merchants  for  his  suste- 
nance, and  drinking  nothing  but  the  allowance  of 
water  common  to  the  crew 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  voyage  the  Gover- 
nor assigned  him  a tolerably  convenient  little 
room,  which  he  did  not  refuse,  but  which  he  imme- 
diately turned  into  an  infirmary  for  the  benefit  of 
those  wdio  suffered  most,  he  taking  his  brief  repose 
in  the  open  air  on  deck,  with  the  cables  for  his  bed 
and  pillow, — a custom  which  he  retained  in  all  his 
after-voyages  in  the  East.  In  the  mean  time,  he 
applied  himself  to  the  care  of  the  healthy,  as  well 
as  of  the  sick,  benefiting  the  souls  of  the  former 
as  much  as  the  bodies  of  the  latter;  and  it  was 
admirable  to  see  how  well  he  could  adapt  himself 
to  the  manners,  inclinations,  and  profession  of 
each  one,  and  with  what  graceful  affability  he 
made  himself  agreeable  alike  to  nobles  and  ple- 
beians, soldiers  and  merchants,  men  and  children, 
conversing  first  on  subjects  interesting  to  them- 
selves individually,  and  then  drawing  them  off  to 
the  things  of  God,  to  esteem  of  salvation,  to  the 
contemplation  of  one’s  last  end, — doing  this  so 
adroitly,  yet  with  such  affectionate  playfulness, 
that  every  one  wms  as  much  delighted  as  edified 
and  improved.  Gambling  was  the  common  occu- 
pation of  the  passengers  under  the  tedium  of  the 
long  voyage;  but,  whatever  may  be  the  motive 
for  engaging  in  it,  it  is  seldom  unattended  by  one 
or  other  of  these  three  evils, — loss  of  time,  loss  of 


80 


THE  LIFE  OF 


money,  and  loss  of  conscience.  Asa  counterpoise, 
then,  the  inventive  charity  of  Xavier  suggested 
certain  little  practices  of  Christian  piety,  whereby 
he  led  many  from  their  games  and  the  mischiefs 
consequent  upon  them. 

He  regularly  preached  at  the  foot  of  the  main- 
mast on  all  festivals,  heard  confessions,  and  in- 
structed the  children  and  the  ignorant  sailors  in 
the  mysteries  of  the  faith.  No  discord  or  quarrel 
broke  out  that  he  did  not  hasten  to  appease,  no 
disorder  or  vice  that  he  did  not  vigorously  en- 
deavor to  smother.  In  fine,  such  was  his  conduct 
throughout,  that  he  was  known  by  no  other  name 
than  that  of  the  holy  father , — a name  which  he 
never  lost,  even  among  the  gentiles  of  India. 
Thus  toiling  and  thus  suffering,  Xavier  reached 
Mozambique,  the  fleet  anchoring  for  the  first  time 
after  sailing  about  twelve  thousand  miles : they 
were  now  at  the  end  of  August,  and  had  left 
Portugal  nearly  five  months.  Mozambique  is  on 
the  eastern  coast  of  Africa;  the  natives  are  negroes, 
barbarous  and  wild,  though  not  so  much  so  as 
their  neighbors  the  Caffres:  intercourse  with  the 
merchants  of  Ethiopia  and  Arabia  has  civilized,  or 
rather  humanized,  them.  There  was  no  basin  or 
port  along  the  coast  where  ships  could  be  shel- 
tered; but  a small  island,  not  quite  a mile  distant, 
afforded  this  advantage.  It  shares  the  common 
name  of  the  kingdom,  Mozambique,  and  is  situ- 
ated at  fourteen  degrees  and  a half  south  latitude: 
the  channel  is  here  so  deep  that  the  largest  vessels 
may  safely  ride  at  anchor.  It  was  formerly  under 
the  dominion  of  the  Saracens,  and  was  governed 
by  a Xeriffa  Moor;  it  was  afterward  taken  by  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  81 

Portuguese,  who  raised  a fortress  there,  for  the 
safety  and  convenience  of  their  fleets. 

As  for  Di  Soza,  he  was  obliged  to  stay  and 
winter  here,  the  season  being  already  so  far  ad- 
vanced as  to  render  farther  progress  toward  India 
dangerous;  in  addition  to  which,  the  great  numbei 
of  invalids  requiring  help  and  rest  made  it  still 
further  advisable  to  remain  where  they  were. 
Not  that  this  isle  was  by  any  moans  suited  to 
their  purpose:  so  far  from  being  likely  to  restore 
the  sick,  there  was  more  chance  of  its  killing  those 
who  were  in  health  : so  unfavorable  was  the  climate, 
that  the  country  was  commonly  called  the  tomb  of 
Europeans. 

Unhealthy  as  the  air  at  all  times  is,  it  happened 
to  be  particularly  pestilential  the  year  of  which 
we  write;  so  much  so,  that,  during  the  six  months 
whilst  the  fleet  was  wintering  there,  upward  of 
eighty  died;  and,  considering  the  number  of  the 
sick,  that  the  deaths  were  not  more  numerous  is  to 
be  attributed  to  the  charity  of  Xavier. 

No  sooner  had  the  ships  cast  anchor  in  the 
Mozambique,  than  the  first  care  of  the  Governor 
was  to  have  the  invalids  conveyed  to  the  hospital; 
and  it  was  Xavier’s  first  care  to  attend  upon  them. 
This  was  the  only  solace  he  allowed  himself  after 
the  miseries  of  his  long  voyage:  he  remedied  pre- 
vious sufferings  at  sea  by  redoubling  his  labors  on 
land, — thus  satisfying,  not  the  necessities  of  his 
body,  but  the  fervor  of  his  charity.  And  in 
truth  he  found  objects  enough  whereon  to  exercise 
it,  until  the  powers  of  nature  sank  beneath  the 
load;  for  the  hospital  was  occupied  not  only  by 
the  sick  of  his  own  ship,  but  by  those  of  the  whole 
F 


82 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fleet.  He  undertook  the  care  of  all,  as  if  all  had 
been  committed  to  his  compassionate  piety;  though, 
the  number  being  so  great,  he  was  unable  to  be- 
stow as  much  attention  on  each  one  as  the  urgency 
of  the  case  in  reality  demanded. 

Every  one  wished  to  have  him  beside  them, — 
some  for  the  comfort  of  the  body,  some  for  the 
comfort  of  the  soul,  whilst  others  felt  relief  from 
the  mere  sight  of  him.  His  angelic  countenance, 
the  mirror  of  a soul  ever  filled  with  the  sweetness 
of  God,  possessed  the  power  of  inspiring  cheerful- 
ness in  those  who  looked  upon  him:  his  appear- 
ance was  that  of  one  of  the  beatified  of  heaven, 
rather  than  of  a poor  pilgrim  belonging  to  this 
earth.  He,  who  was  called  for  by  every  one, 
hastened  to  every  one;  and,  not  satisfied  with  the 
incessant  fatigues  of  the  day,  he  would  spend  his 
nights  amidst  the  dying,  stretching  himself  on  the 
ground  at  the  foot  of  the  bed  of  the  greatest  suf- 
ferers; and  no  sooner  did  he  hear  a sigh  or  groan 
than  he  was  up,  endeavoring  to  atford  relief.  But 
his  strength  of  body  did  not  keep  pace  with  his 
generosity  of  soul:  nature  sank,  weakened  as  it 
was  by  the  sufferings  of  his  long  voyage,  and  op- 
pressed by  the  still  more  recent  labors  in  the  hos- 
pital: he  was  seized  with  a violent  and  malignant 
fever.  Ill  as  he  was,  he  could  bear  his  own  suffer- 
ings better  than  he  could  witness  those  of  others: 
therefore,  parched  with  his  burning  fever,  and 
trembling  on  his  knees  in  very  weakness,  he 
still  dragged  himself  along  among  his  sick,  going 
from  bed  to  bed,  wholly  unmindful  of  himself,  yet 
believing  he  was  taking  good  care  of  himself, 
hoping  1 7 end  his  life  with  a death  just  suited  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


83 


ms  wishes,  namely,  occasioned  by  his  indefati* 
gable  charity.  Whilst  in  this  state,  he  was  one 
day  met  by  the  hospital-doctor,  precisely  at  the 
hour  when  his  fever  was  at  its  height,  who,  feeling 
his  pulse,  declared  there  was  not  a patient  in  the 
whole  hospital  in  so  much  danger  as  himself.  In 
compassion,  then,  for  so  worthy  and  useful  a man, 
the  doctor  entreated  him  to  retire  to  bed, — if  not 
to  remain  there,  (as  was  really  necessary,)  at  least 
until  the  crisis  of  the  fever  had  taken  a turn  and 
had  somewhat  subsided.  But  he  could  not  be  pre- 
vailed upon  just  then.  However,  not  to  appear 
rash  and  disobedient,  he  adduced  his  reasons  for 
resisting;  namely,  that  one  of  the  crew,  a young 
man  of  most  profligate  life,  was  dangerously  ill, 
who,  before  he  could  be  persuaded  to  make  his 
confession,  had  become  delirious,  and  was  there- 
fore in  danger  of  losing  eternal  as  well  as  temporal 
life  at  one  and  the  same  moment.  Xavier  was 
resolute  in  spending  the  next  night  at  his  bedside; 
and  the  event  showed  that  God  had  revealed  to 
him  the  time  prefixed  both  for  a lucid  interval  and 
for  the  death  of  the  young  man.  By  his  desire, 
some  servants  of  the  hospital  raised  the  wretched 
sufferer  from  the  straw  where  he  was  lying  on  the 
ground,  and  placed  him  in  Xavier’s  own  little  bed. 
No  sooner  was  this  done,  than  mere  contact  with 
the  bed  seems  to  have  restored  his  senses,  foi 
the  delirium  immediately  vanished,  and  the  saint 
was  able  to  receive  his  confession  and  administer 
the  usual  rite3  of  holy  Church:  even  then,  he 
would  not  stir  from  his  bedside,  remaining  there, 
suggesting  acts  of  contrition,  hope,  charity,  &c., 
until  the  patient  expired,  which  he  did  in  the 


84 


THE  LIFE  OF 


course  of  that  very  night,  as  Xavier  had  predicted 
Being  now  satisfied  that  he  had  done  his  duty,  and 
exulting  in  the  delight  of  having  rescued  this  poor 
soul,  he  submitted  to  the  orders  of  the  doctor,  and 
went  to  bed. 

There  were  many  persons  in  the  place  who 
would  have  deemed  themselves  happy  in  lodging 
him  and  attending  upon  him  in  their  own  houses; 
and  they  made  him  pressing  offers  to  this  effect; 
for,  besides  the  need  he  had  of  rest  and  better 
diet,  the  atmosphere  of  the  hospital  was  quite 
loathsome  and  pestilential.  This  was  forcibly 
represented  to  him,  in  hopes  of  persuading  him  to 
agree  to  their  proposals;  but,  whether  it  were  the 
will  of  God  that  he  should  live  or  die,  living  or 
dying,  he  was  resolved  that  it  should  be  among  the 
poor,  and  in  extreme  poverty : for  this  reason  he 
remained  where  was.  In  the  mean  time,  his  fever 
was  on  the  increase,  and  for  three  days  he  was 
completely  delirious;  yet,  wonderful  to  relate, 
throughout  this  delirium,  whenever  any  one  spoke 
to  him  of  the  things  of  God,  or  that  he  of  his  own 
accord  did  so,  he  was  perfectly  self-possessed ; as  if 
this  topic  rendered  him  superior  to  the  natural 
violence  of  his  disorder.  He  was  bled  seven  times 
in  the  course  of  a few  days,  which  somewhat 
reduced  the  fever,  which  in  a short  time,  God  so 
willing,  disappeared.  However,  before  he  had  pro- 
perly recovered  his  health  and  strength,  he  was 
obliged  to  re-embark  and  resume  the  long-inter- 
rupted voyage  toward  India;  for  the  Governor, 
who  was  himself  ill,  fearing  lest  he  might  grow 
worse,  or  perchance  die,  was  determined  to  have 
Xavier  with  him,  for  the  safety  and  welfare  of  his 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


85 


soul.  In  his  stead  he  left  his  two  companions  to 
attend  to  the  sick  who  remained  behind  at  Mozam- 
bique, and  at  the  beginning  of  March  he  again 
set  sail, — not  in  the  Saint  James , in  wThich  he  had 
travelled  from  Portugal,  but  in  a merchant-ship 
called  the  Coulan,  which  was  a better  sailer  and 
was  less  laden.  It  is  worth  remarking  here  that, 
according  to  the  assertion  of  his  fellow-passengers 
in  the  Saint  James , it  was  during  this  voyage  that 
he  first  gave  indications  of  that  spirit  of  prophecy 
for  which  he  was  afterward,  even  to  the  day  of 
his  death,  so  very  remarkable.  Often  when  he 
heard  persons  praising  the  ship,  as  being  the 
safest  and  best  built  of  the  whole  fleet,  he,  so  far 
from  joining  in  these  praises,  always  denounced 
it,  as  one  which  in  a short  time  would  meet  with 
a disastrous  end,  saying,  “ Woe  to  me  and  to  any 
of  us  if  we  happen  to  be  upon  her!”  His  predic- 
tion was  verified;  for  in  that  very  voyage  the  Saint 
James  unfortunately  struck  on  a rock  off  Salsetta 
and  was  wrecked.  For  the  present  it  remained  at 
Mozambique : the  others  pursued  their  voyage 
along  the  coast  of  AfVica,  ascending  toward  the 
equinoctial  line  till  they  reached  Melinda,  where 
they  anchored. 

Melinda  is  a fine  city,  within  sight  of  the  sea:  it 
is  built  in  a plain  planted  with  palm  and  other  fruit 
trees;  the  gardens  and  the  surrounding  country 
are  well  cultivated.  The  place  belongs  to  the 
Moors:  it  is  spacious  and  walled,  and,  though  the 
buildings  are  in  the  Moorish  style,  they  are  as 
pleasing  to  the  eye  as  they  are  convenient  to  in- 
habit. The  people  are  Mohammedans,  well  dis- 
posed, and,  in  comparison  with  their  neighbors, 
8 


86 


THE  LIFE  OF 


are  valiant  in  arms.  They  are  black,  and  go  un- 
clad, with  the  exception  of  a piece  of  linen  or 
cotton  cloth  which  they  wear  suspended  from 
the  waist:  this  is  as  much  clothing  as  they  can 
bear,  in  consequence  of  the  excessive  heat, — 
Melinda  lying  little  more  than  three  degrees  dis- 
tant from  the  equinoctial  line.  They  lived  on 
friendly  terms  and  traded  with  the  Portuguese  : 
hence,  as  soon  as  the  fleet  entered  port,  the  king 
came  down  in  state  to  welcome  the  Governor. 

As  their  stay  here  was  to  be  but  short,  and  as 
the  people  cling  with  great  pertinacity  to  their 
religious  opinions,  Xavier  had  but  little  chance  of 
doing  much  good  among  them:  however,  not  to 
fail  in  his  duty  of  zeal,  he  resolved  to  do  all  that 
depended  on  him  toward  the  salvation  of  their 
souls.  No  sooner  did  he  set  foot  on  shore  than  he 
encountered  a sight  which  deeply  affected  his 
heart  and  drew  tears  from  his  eyes.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  Portuguese  often  halting  here,  some 
of  them  occasionally  died  at  Melinda;  and,  as  the 
natives  were  friendly,  they  allowed  them  a ceme- 
tery near  the  town.  The  Portuguese  raised 
crosses  upon  each  grave,  and  in  the  middle  of  the 
cemetery  was  a large  stone  cross,  well  carved  and 
gilt.  Xavier  prostrated  before  this  cross,  full  of 
indescribable  consolation,  because  it  appeared  to 
him  as  if  Christ  and  his  cross  were  about  to 
triumph  over  his  enemies  and  take  possession  of 
their  territories;  whilst,  on  the  other  side,  he 
grieved  to  see  that  the  cross  served  more  to  honor 
the  dead  than  to  benefit  the  living.  He  prayed 
most  earnestly  that,  since  the  people  tolerated  it 
among  them,  God  would  be  pleased  to  plant  it  ii* 


SAINT  FhANCiS  X A V I ±5  F . 87 

the  hearts  of  the  savages,  as  the  Christians  had 
planted  it  in  their  soil. 

He  was  most  anxious  to  enter  on  discussions 
with  the  Mohammedans  on  the  principles  of  the 
faith.  One  of  their  leaders  asked  him  whether 
piety  was  declining  among  the  Christians  as  it  was 
among  the  people  of  Melinda.  “ For,”  observed 
he,  “of  our  seventeen  mosques,  fourteen  are  com- 
pletely forsaken,  and  the  remaining  three  are  by 
no  means  well  attended : this  must  be  the  conse- 
quence of  some  great  sin,  but  what  the  sin  may 
be  I cannot  possibly  conceive.”  Xavier  said  all 
he  could  to  undeceive  the  deluded  man,  to  make 
him  turn  to  Christ  and  direct  his  zeal  to  his  own 
salvation,  instead  of  employing  it  to  the  everlast- 
ing ruin  of  his  followers.  But  his  words  might  as 
well  have  been  thrown  to  the  winds.  The  infidel 
became  only  the  more  obstinate  in  his  errors : all 
his  endeavor  was  to  discover  the  fault  of  the 
people,  which  he  could  not  see,  neglecting  his  own, 
though  actually  placed  clearly  before  his  eyes. 
At  last  he  took  leave  of  him,  saying  that  he  must 
be  blind  not  to  see  that  God,  who  is  most  faithful 
with  his  own,  was  openly  reproving  a sect  which 
he  would  not  assist,  by  either  increasing  or  up- 
holding it,  and  that  what  the  Moor  looked  upon  as 
piety  and  devotion  was  neither  more  nor  less  than 
impiety  and  sacrilege. 

Equal  with  this  was  the  foil}7  of  another,  one  of 
their  caciques,  as  they  call  their  chief  ministers  of 
religion,  who  went  to  Xavier  deploring  the  aban- 
doned condition  of  the  mosques  and  the  want  of 
devotion  among  the  people,  and  declaring  that  he 
would  forsake  the  established  creed  of  the  country 


88 


THE  LIFE  OF 


if  within  two  years  Mohammed  did  not  come  in 
person  to  visit  him,  in  which  case  he  would  seek 
out  some  worthier  form  of  belief.  “ This  is  usually 
the  case  with  infidels  and  great  sinners/'  says  S. 
Francis  Xavier:  “they  live  unhappy  in,  and  dis- 
satisfied with,  their  state,  which  of  itself  is  a grace 
afforded  them  by  God,  although  they  do  not  recog- 
nise it." 

After  resting  a few  days  at  Melinda,  they  took 
leave  of  its  hospitable  monarch,  and  set  sail,  coast- 
ing the  shores  of  Africa  till  they  arrived  at  Soco- 
tora,  where  they  again  cast  anchor.  This  island 
is  about  twenty  leagues  in  length  by  nine  in 
breadth.  The  heats  arc  excessive,  the  land  poor 
and  barren,  excepting  where  a chain  of  mountains 
crosses  the  country  and  affords  some  pasture: 
palm-trees  grow  in  the  valleys,  the  fruit  of  which, 
called  dates,  supplies  their  bread.  Houses  they 
have  none  (their  habitations  being  nothing  better 
than  rude  huts,  to  protect  them  from  the  scorch- 
ing rays  of  the  sun,  and  even  of  these  there  are 
but  few) : the  majority  of  the  natives  content  them- 
selves with  the  mountain-caverns,  which  supply 
the  place  of  palaces  to  them.  Two  small  islands, 
so  much  alike  as  to  be  called  the  two  sisters , shelter 
it  from  the  north  wind  : its  inhabitants  are  perfect 
savages,  owning  no  law  either  human  or  divine. 
The  Moors  of  the  environs  affirm  that  Socotora  is 
the  country  of  the  Amazons,  alleging  as  one 
reason  the  fact  of  females  governing  there,  even 
to  our  days.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  island  is  cer- 
tainly an  ill-favored  one;  nor  would  men  care 
about  it  were  it  not  that  the  finest  aloes  of  the 
East  grow  there.  The  Socotorans,  however,  who 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


89 


have  seen  no  other  country  but  their  own,  believe 
it  to  be  the  paradise  of  the  world.  It  would  be 
difficult  to  give  their  religion  a name,  so  extrava- 
gant is  it,  and  such  a compound  of  various  rites. 
They  have  the  Moorish  worship  of  Mohammed, 
the  circumcision  of  the  Jews,  the  names  of  the 
Christian  sacrifices,  and  truly  little  more  than  the 
bare  name,  and  even  with  that  little  they  mingle 
heresy, — viz.,  the  errors  of  Nestorius,  and  separa- 
tion from  the  Homan  See  with  the  Abyssinians. 
The  men  are  named  after  one  or  other  of  the 
apostles,  and  most  of  the  women  are  called  Mary : 
they  adore  the  cross,  incense  it,  and  hang  lighted 
lamps  before  it : one  of  their  ceremonies  is  to 
anoint  it  with  butter,  and  then  wear  it  suspended 
at  their  necks:  they  fast  two  Lents  in  the  year, 
one  of  which  lasts  nearly  two  months,  during 
which  they  eat  nothing  but  dates,  herbs,  and 
roots.  They  have  churches,  but  of  so  poor  a de- 
scription as  to  be  more  like  sheds  for  cattle  than 
any  thing  else;  nevertheless,  they  have  prayer 
four  times  a day,  morning,  noon,  evening,  and 
midnight.  Their  only  sacrament  is  baptism,  ad- 
ministered in  some  extravagant  form:  they  have 
no  idea  of  the  mysteries  of  faith,  nor  any  books 
which  treat  of  them ; for  none  of  them  can  read, 
ixcept  the  caciques,  as  their  priests  are  called, 
who  consecrate  themselves  by  learning  some  cer- 
tain prayers,  unintelligible  even  to  themselves, 
being  in  a foreign  language.  All  their  office  con- 
sists in  singing  these  prayers  in  the  churches  and 
incensing,  repeating  several  times  a word  which 
has  something  of  the  sound  of  our  alleluia.  Above 
all,  they  have  the  highest  veneration  for  the 
8* 


THE  LIFE  OF 


yo 

Apostle  Saint  Thomas,  whom  they  call  the  Fathei 
of  their  faith, — declaring  that  they  are  the  legiti- 
mate descendants  of  those  who  first  received  him. 
A tradition,  received  from  their  ancestors,  still 
subsists  among  them,  to  the  effect  that  when  the 
holy  apostle  was  sailing  to  the  Indies  a furious 
tempest  drove  him  on  their  shores,  and  that  with 
the  remnants  of  the  wreck  a church  was  built, 
which  in  after-times  was  magnificently  repaired, 
and  had  been  in  existence  within  the  memory  of 
some  then  alive.  Such  is  the  amount  of  Chris- 
tianity to  be  found  among  the  Socotorans.  The 
cause  of  their  being  thus  degenerated,  and  alto- 
gether so  uncivilized,  may  be  ascribed  to  their 
vicinity  to  the  Arabians,  who  have  tyrannized  over 
the  island,  subduing  it  at  first  by  force  of  arms, 
and  then,  by  intermarriages,  introducing  Moorish 
habits.  The  King  of  Portugal,  Don  Emmanuel, 
had  done  much  toward  Christianizing  this  island; 
but  the  inconstancy  of  the  natives  prevented  any 
permanent  good,  for  in  a short  time  they  became 
more  than  ever  imbued  with  the  fallacies  of 
Mohammed. 

Xavier  conceived  the  greatest  hopes  of  reducing 
the  whole  island  to  the  faith ; and,  as  the  language 
of  charity  can  always  make  itself  understood,  he, 
being  ignorant  of  their  language,  began  to  con- 
verse with  them  by  signs;  and  his  hopes  were 
strengthened  as  he  found  his  mute  preaching  be- 
come available.  He  succeeded  in  convincing  them 
of  the  necessity  of  baptism,  when  they  imme- 
diately pressed  forward,  bringing  their  children 
to  be  baptized  by  him.  He  explained  to  them  that 
the  Jewish  and  Moorish  rites,  so  far  from  being 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


91 


profitable  to  salvation,  are,  on  the  contrary,  de- 
structive of  it,  teaching  them  to  substitute  Chris- 
tian ceremonies  in  their  place.  Whilst  he  was  thus 
gaining  ground,  the  Governor  gave  orders  to  sail. 
No  sooner  were  the  people  aware  of  this  than  they 
ran  and  east  themselves  at  the  saint’s  feet,  and  in 
their  own  expressive  manner  entreated  him  not  to 
leave  them,  offering  him  herbs  and  dates,  and  pro- 
mising that  if  he  would  only  remain  the  whole 
island  would  soon  come  over  to  the  faith.  The 
heart  of  the  holy  man  was  deeply  affected.  With 
streaming  eyes,  he  repaired  to  the  Governor,  en- 
treating to  be  left  behind,  at  least,  till  the  arrival 
of  the  other  ships  from  Mozambique,  which  might 
call  as  they  passed  and  take  him  on  to  India.  But 
Di  Soza  would  on  no  account  consent : he  was 
aware  of  the  frequent  incursions  of  the  Arabs  in 
quest  of  booty  and  slaves : he  would  not,  there- 
fore, risk  the  loss  of  so  precious  a man.  Moreover, 
the  king,  his  master,  had  intrusted  him  to  his 
hands  for  the  Indies,  where  bis  zeal  and  toils  would, 
no  doubt,  win  over  far  more  extensive  kingdoms 
than  Socotora,  the  natives  whereof  could  scarcely 
be  trusted,  as  past  experience  had  taught  the  Por- 
tuguese. So,  without  further  delay,  they  weighed 
anchor,  sailing  direct  for  Goa.  Xavier  was  exceed- 
ingly afflicted.  He  could  not  withdraw  his  eyes 
from  a land  where  he  was  leaving  so  many  poor 
abandoned  souls,  who  had  so  endeared  themselves 
to  him  in  the  short  space  of  time  he  had  been  with 
them.  Being  unable  to  do  more  for  the  present, 
he  went  away  with  an  ardent  desire  and  a full  de- 
termination of  returning  himself  to  Socotora  as 
soon  as  he  should  have  companions  enough  to 


92 


THE  LIFE  OF 


satisfy  the  demand  of  the  Indies;  or,  if  unable  to 
return  in  person,  at  least  he  resolved  to  send  others 
in  his  place.  And,  in  effect,  he  did  attempt  the 
latter  plan  several  times,  appointing  Father 
Alphonsus  Cipriani  (whom  he  was  afterward 
obliged  to  send  to  the  coast  of  Coromandel)  and 
others  beside.  Xot  content  with  this,  he  wrote  to 
Father  Simon  Rodriguez,  in  Portugal,  deploring 
the  abandoned  condition  of  these  incipient  Chris- 
tians, and  entreating  him  to  appeal  to  the  king’s 
conscience  to  have  compassion  on  their  souls; 
“more  especially,”  adds  he,  “as  his  Majesty’s 
order  would  suffice.” 

Quitting  the  shores  of  Africa,  the  vessel  bearing 
Pi  Soza  and  Xavier  traversed  the  Sea  of  Arabia 
and  finally  arrived  at  Goa,  where  they  disembarked 
on  the  6th  of  May,  1542, — a date  ever  memorable 
in  the  Christian  annals  of  the  East, — after  a voyage 
of  thirteen  months,  including  their  sojourn  at  Mo- 
zambique. 

Almighty  God  was  pleased  to  choose  the  Portu- 
guese nation  for  the  propagation  of  his  most  holy 
name  through  the  vast  regions  of  the  East  Indies. 
One  significant  indication  of  this  was  vouchsafed 
to  Don  Alphonsus  Albuquerque.  When,  at  the 
head  of  his  noble  fleet,  he  was  in  search  of  new 
nations,  just  before  the  coasts  of  India  came  in 
view,  he  beheld  in  the  air,  toward  the  wrest,  a 
resplendent  cross,  the  color  of  vermilion,  similar 
to  that  which  heretofore  appeared  to  Constantine 
the  Great.  At  this  sight  the  pious  admiral  and  all 
his  fleet  prostrated,  weeping  with  delight:  then, 
ordering  a discharge  of  artillery  and  the  drums  to 
beat,  he  seemed  in  this  manner  to  respond  to  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


93 


call  of  Heaven  inviting  him  to  carry  the  sacred 
sign  of  salvation  to  barbarous  kingdoms.  At  the 
time  of  which  we  write,  Goa  was  the  queen  of 
Indian  cities,  the  seat  both  of  the  archbishop  and 
of  the  viceroy.  It  had  been  built  by  the  Moors 
about  forty  years  before  the  great  Albuquerque 
arrived  and  added  it  to  the  dominions  of  Portugal ; 
at  which  time  God  was  pleased  to  verify  the  cele- 
brated prophecy  of  the  Apostle  S.  Thomas  with 
regard  to  the  revivification  of  the  faith  of  Christ, 
which  he  had  carried  to  the  Indies,  and  even  much 
farther, — to  the  confines  of  China.  The  apostle 
left  a warning  to  future  times,  engraven  on  a stone 
column,  planted  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
walls  of  Meliapore,  the  metropolis  of  Coromandel, 
on  which  an  inscription,  in  characters  peculiar  to 
the  country,  declares  that  when  the  sea  (at  that 
time  distant  about  forty  miles)  should  so  far  ad- 
vance as  to  bathe  the  foot  of  the  said  column,  white 
men  from  distant  lands  should  land  in  India  and 
restore  the  Christian  religion,  which  he  (the 
apostle)  had  introduced,  to  its  pristine  state. 
Then,  as  in  more  modern  days,  incredulity  treated 
the  prophecy  as  impossible  of  fulfilment.  Never- 
theless, it  was  so  literally  verified  that  at  the  very 
time  Vasco  da  Gama  first  set  foot  in  India  the  sea 
had  reached  the  column  Gradually,  yet  surely, 
it  had  worked  its  way.  Nor  is  the  phenomenon 
by  any  means  unparalleled,  as  the  experience  of 
maritime  districts  attests:  the  Indians  account  for 
it  by  a corresponding  change  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  country,  where,  according  to  a very  ancient 
tradition,  the  Sea  of  Arabia  once  watered  the  foot 
of  the  chain  of  mountains  bounding  Comorin,  the 


94 


THE  LIFE  OF 


waters  of  which  have  so  far  receded  as  to  leave  the 
whole  plain  of  Malabar  between  the  mountains 
and  the  sea.  As  a fitting  accompaniment  to  the 
prediction  ascribed  to  S.  Thomas,  we  subjoin  the 
following,  taken  from  the  records  of  the  illustrious 
Order  of  Mercy.  “When  Yasco  da  Gama  sailed 
for  the  Indies,  he  took  with  him  as  his  confessor 
the  venerable  Brother  Peter  of  Covillan,  of  the 
Order  of  Mercy,  who  was  massacred  by  the  savages 
on  the  7th  of  July,  1497,  forty  years  before  the 
birth  of  the  Society  of  Jesus.  When  at  the  point 
of  death,  he  uttered  these  emphatic  words: — There 
will  soon  arise  in  the  Church  of  God  a new  Religious 
Order , which  will  hear  the  name  of  Jesus ; whereof 
one  of  the  first  Fathers , conducted  by  the  Holy  Ghost , 
will  'penetrate  to  the  remotest  confines  of  the  East 
Indies,  which,  through  his  preaching  of  the  divine 
word,  will  embrace  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 

According  to  the  prophecy  of  S.  Thomas,  Chris- 
tianity began  to  revive  in  India  on  the  arrival  of 
the  Europeans, — though,  as  religion  was  far  from 
being  the  first  consideration  of  the  earlier  colonists, 
no  very  great  progress  was  made.  By  degrees,  the 
attempts  that  were  made  were  in  great  measure 
defeated  by  the  licentious  and  unbridled  conduct  of 
the  Europeans,  many  of  whom  undertook  the  long 
and  dangerous  voyage  from  Europe  to  India  with 
no  other  aim  than  that  of  enriching  themselves  as 
speedily  as  possible  and  then  returning  to  their 
native  countries.  In  their  eagerness  to  attain 
their  object,  they  were  not  over-scrupulous  as  to 
the  means  they  used  : their  extortions  upon  the 
natives  resembled  plundering  rather  than  fair 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  95 

traffic : hence  hatred  to  the  religion  was  joined  to 
hatred  to  the  persons  of  their  oppressors. 

The  luxury  too  of  Asia,  nowhere  carried  to 
greater  excess  than  in  India,  so  softened  and  ener- 
vated the  minds  of  the  Christians  that  they 
scarcely  led  better  lives  than  the  pagans.  Useless 
then  was  it  to  preach  the  cross  of  Christ,  con- 
tinency,  justice,  and  the  desire  of  heavenly  things, 
whilst  a contradictory  mode  of  life  on  the  part  of 
the  majority  told  so  fearfully  against  the  teaching 
of  a few, — general  example  being  far  more  per- 
suasive than  the  words  of  a few  zealous  men  can 
be  when  endeavoring  to  inveigh  against  all-but 
universal  vice.  In  the  year  1542,  most  appalling 
accounts  of  the  immorality  of  the  Portuguese  set- 
tlers were  sent  to  Don  John  III.,  with  a view  to 
some  vigorous  attempt  at  reformation : it  was 
shown  that,  so  far  from  Christian  purity  having 
been  introduced  among  the  Mohammedans  by  the 
Christians,  Mohammedan  excesses  had  become 
! familiar  to  the  Christians.  In  a word,  the  mind 
recoils  from  the  bare  consideration  of  the  vices  of 
every  stamp  which,  according  to  cotemporary  his- 
torians, then  revelled  among  the  Christians  of 
India:  nor  need  they  be  detailed  here:  sufficient 
is  said  to  show  the  arduous  nature  of  the  task  to 
which  Xavier  had  to  apply  himself  on  his  arrival 
at  Goa, — who  had  not  spent  four  months  there  ere 
a very  notable  improvement  was  perceptible. 

As  for  the  Gentiles,  their  vices  seem  to  have  been 
of  the  most  degrading  description.  The  least  guilty 
among  them  were,  perhaps,  those  who  acknow- 
ledged no  religion  and  no  God:  they  did  not,  like 
the  rest,  adore  the  devil  in  acts  of  the  grossest  ira- 


96 


THE  LIFE  OF 


morality,  or  offer  him  human  sacrifices  either  in 
the  persons  of  others  or  of  themselves.  Many  of 
the  pagans  tore  themselves  or  others  in  pieces  in 
sacrifice  before  their  idols ; others  found  some  new 
god  every  day,  adoring  the  first  living  creature 
which  they  happened  to  meet  with  in  the  morning; 
for  instance,  a dog,  a pig,  a serpent,  or  any  other 
irrational  animal.  Each  sect  had  its  various  mode 
of  belief,  or  worship,  and  of  licentiousness,  the 
latter  being  everywhere  carried  to  excess. 

The  transmigration  of  souls  was  universally 
believed,  and  was  so  strongly  insisted  upon  by  one 
particular  sect  that  to  kill  a flea  was  as  great  a 
crime  as  to  kill  a man,  or  rather  greater;  for 
among  some  of  them  to  kill  a man  (especially  if  it 
were  a noble  who  killed  a plebeian)  would  excite  no 
more  remorse  than  the  massacre  of  a flea  would  to 
us.  They  sold  their  own  children  for  slaves,  at  the 
price  of  less  than  a crown  a head  : cannibalism  par- 
tially existed,  so  far  at  least  as  prisoners  of  war 
were  concerned  : widows  were  compelled  to  bury 
or  burn  themselves  alive  with  the  remains  of  their 
deceased  husbands:  necromancy  and  witchcraft 
were  prevalent.  And  yet  what  we  have  been 
desenoing  was  but  the  least  part  of  what  Chris- 
tianity had  to  contend  against.  The  Saracens  were 
much  worse,  and  were  extremely  powerful  out 
there,  both  as  regards  wealth  and  numbers;  so 
that  in  reality  they  ruled  the  country:  the  richest 
districts  belonged  to  them,  they  had  allied  them- 
selves by  marriage  with  the  native  princes,  and 
had  persuaded  them  to  embrace  the  Koran.  The 
Portuguese  wrested  many  of  their  possessions 
from  them,  and  in  proportion  to  their  losses,  so 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  97 

did  their  hatred  of  Christianity  redouble.  It  is 
inconceivable  with  what  pertinacity  they  opposed 
the  propagation  of  the  faith,  which  encountered 
no  less  enmity  at  the  hands  of  the  Jews,  then  also 
very  powerful  in  India;  so  much  so,  in  fact,  that 
the  King  of  Cochin  was  surnamed  the  King  of  the 
Hebrews,  on  account  of  his  having  more  Jews 
than  Gentiles  among  his  subjects. 

Into  this  den  of  wild  beasts,  then,  to  use  the 
expression  of  S.  Leo  the  Great  with  regard  to  S. 
Peter’s  first  entrance  into  Home,  did  Francis 
Xavier  make  his  way;  and  such  was  the  invin- 
cible strength  of  soul  which  led  him  on,  that, 
whereas  it  would  have  been  an  almost  super- 
human task  to  restore  piety  among  the  Christians 
of  the  metropolis  alone,  he  not  only  did  this,  but 
even  reduced  multitudes  of  idolaters  to  the  know- 
ledge and  observance  of  the  gospel.  Among  the 
miracles  which  God,  who  had  destined  him  to  be 
the  apostle  of  that  part  of  the  world,  enabled  him 
to  effect,  one,  not  of  the  smallest,  was  the  facility 
with  which  he  won  the  veneration  of  the  people, — 
a veneration  which  his  subsequent  stupendous 
miracles  confirmed,  and  which  procured  for  him 
the  name  of  the  god  of  nature.  His  labors,  inferior 
only  to  his  desires,  and  far  superior  to  ordinary 
human  powers,  together  with  the  vigor  of  his 
charity  and  the  example  of  his  life,  were  as  stupen- 
dous as  his  miracles : they,  more  than  any  thing 
else,  gained  him  the  victory  in  his  many  difficult 
undertakings,  when  he  had  to  withdraw  from  their 
hereditary  superstitions  and  from  their  own  vices 
the  vast  multitudes  of  souls  whom  he  converted. 

On  his  arrival  at  Goa,  Xavier  took  up  his  abode 

0 9 


98 


THE  LIFE  OF 


at  the  hospital,  where  he  made  himself  not  only 
poor  among  beggars,  but  like  a slave  did  he  devote 
himself  to  the  corporeal  as  well  as  spiritual  neces- 
sities of  its  unfortunate  inmates. 

Before  entering  on  his  functions  on  behalf  of 
souls,  he  went  and  cast  himself  at  the  feet  of  the 
archbishop,  presented  the  briefs  of  the  Sovereign 
Pontiff,  explained  the  reasons  which  had  induced 
his  Holiness  and  the  King  of  Portugal  to  send 
him  to  those  regions,  and  resigned  himself  entirely 
to  his  lordship's  hands,  promising  only  to  use  his 
authority  of  Apostolic  Nuncio  according  to  his 
good  pleasure.  It  was  his  inviolable  practice 
always  to  subject  himself  in  this  manner  to  the 
prelates  of  the  Church,  whatever  might  be  their 
rank:  this  was  the  effect  of  his  humility,  and  from 
his  conviction  that  the  interests  of  God,  so  far 
from  being  prejudiced,  are,  on  the  contrary,  often 
promoted  by  our  condescension  to  those  who  are 
beneath  us.  Correct,  indeed,  is  the  remark  so 
often  made  by  S.  Ignatius  to  his  followers,  that 
humility  and  modesty  frequently  prevail  where 
arrogance  and  authority  would  effect  nothing; 
because  the  former  easily  conciliate  superiors, 
whereas  the  latter  excite  contests  and  litigations, 
especially  when  one  is  somewhat  more  punctilious 
than  is  needful,  than  which  nothing  is  more  pre- 
judicial to  the  welfare  of  souls  or  more  disedifying 
to  the  people.  Don  John  Albuquerque,  a religious 
of  the  Franciscan  order,  was  at  this  time  Arch- 
bishop of  Goa,  a prelate  of  great  virtue  : it  is  not 
therefore  surprising  that  souls  like  his  and  Xavier’s, 
both  so  zealous  in  the  service  of  God,  should  at 
once  intertwine  in  the  bonds  of  holy  friendship 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  99 

and  conceive  mutual  respect  for  each  other.  The 
archbishop  immediately  raised  the  man  of  God, 
looked  at  the  briefs,  and  returned  them,  expressing 
himself  fully  satisfied  that  he  should  use  all  the 
authority  conceded  to  him  by  the  holy  see,  offering 
to  second  him  to  the  utmost  of  his  power. 

Thereupon  Xavier  at  once  began  his  labors, 
much  upon  the  following  plan.  Three — or,  under 
extraordinary  need,  four — hours  of  the  night  were 
given  to  repose,  though  not  without  interruption; 
for  he  often  rose  to  attend  to  the  sudden  call  of  some 
poor  patient.  Here,  as  at  Mozambique,  he  gene- 
rally extended  himself  on  the  ground  at  the  foot 
of  the  bed  of  some  dangerously-affected  invalid,  in 
order  that  he  might  be  on  the  spot,  ready  to  give 
prompt  assistance  if  called  for.  The  rest  of  the 
night  was  given  to  prayer,  though  in  effect  the 
holy  actions  of  the  previous  day  formed  little  less 
than  one  continued  prayer : his  employments  for 
the  good  of  souls,  which  were  seldom  or  never 
interrupted,  did  not  in  any  way  withdraw  his 
mind  and  heart  from  God.  Early  in  the  morning 
he  quitted  his  own  hospital,  and  repaired  to  that 
of  the  lepers,  in  the  suburbs,  where  he  visited  the 
patients  one  by  one,  consoling  them  with  his  ex- 
pressions of  tender  charity,  serving  them,  relieving 
their  necessities  by  means  of  alms  which  he  pro- 
cured from  the  Portuguese,  who  were  most  liberal 
to  him  in  this  regard,  hearing  their  confessions; 
and  then,  collecting  them  all  together,  he  made 
them  an  appropriate  discourse,  to  their  extreme 
consolation.  On  festival-days  he  said  Mass  in  this 
hospital,  and  gave  communion  to  the  lepers  with 
his  own  hand.  After  this,  he  returned  to  the  city, 


100 


THE  LIFE  OF 


where  he  preached  to  the  Portuguese.  The  nature 
of  his  discourses,  his  appropriate  adaptation  of 
them  to  the  necessities  of  so  dissolute  a popula- 
tion, and  the  fervor  of  spirit  with  which  he  handled 
them,  will  be  best  understood  and  appreciated  by 
the  effects  which  followed,  and  by  the  wonderful 
change  of  manners  which  was  soon  perceptible. 
Whereas  previous  to  his  arrival  few  persons  went 
to  confession  even  once  a year,  now  there  were  but 
few  who  did  not  go  more  than  once  a month;  in- 
somuch that  the  saint,  writing  at  this  time  to  the 
Fathers  at  Home,  tells  them  that  if  he  could  mul- 
tiply himself  tenfold,  and  be  in  ten  different  places 
at  one  and  the  same  time,  he  should  still  be  unable 
to  satisfy  all  who  applied  to  him  for  confession; 
adding,  that  this  popular  impulse  was  entirely 
owing  to  the  impression  made  on  their  hearts  by 
the  incontestable  truths  of  the  gospel.  He  might 
have  added  that  the  impression  was  made  by  the 
forcible  manner  in  which  he  himself  placed  these 
truths  before  their  eyes : his  own  incessant  medi- 
tation on  the  things  of  eternity  enabled  him  to 
develop  the  most  awful  truths  with  such  clearness 
as  to  render  them  evident  to  the  dullest  mind; 
and  hence  those  results  which  ever  accompany  a 
true  conversion, — viz.,  the  severance  of  illicit  con- 
nections, the  renunciation  of  usurious  contracts 
the  restitution  of  unjustly-acquired  property,  th» 
restoration  to  freedom  of  slaves  unfairly  claimed, 
the  forgiveness  of  long-standing  injuries,  the  re- 
nunciation of  inveterate  enmities,  the  restitution 
of  fame  and  property,  where  the  first  had  been 
injured  and  the  latter  stolen,  and  other  similar 
things;  so  that  in  a few  months  Goa  was  so  com- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


101 


pletely  changed  from  what  it  had  formerly  been 
that  the  very  gentiles  called  the  change  miracu- 
lous. 

Hitherto  we  have  merely  detailed  the  saint’s 
labors  of  the  morning.  Later  in  the  day,  on  fes- 
tivals, he  explained  the  symbol  of  the  faith,  when 
such  crowds  of  persons,  of  every  rank,  pressed  to 
hear  him,  that  the  largest  church  could  not  contain 
them.  On  these  occasions  he  used  the  coarse 
rough  dialect  of  Portugal,  that  he  might  be  the 
better  understood  by  his  hearers,  many  of  whom, 
being  native  Indians,  spoke  the  language  of  their 
masters  but  very  imperfectly.  In  the  afternoons 
of  ferial  days  he  visited  the  prisons,  instructing 
the  prisoners  how  to  examine  and  purify  their 
conscience,  after  which  he  heard  their  confessions. 
On  quitting  the  prison,  he  next  perambulated 
the  city  with  a bell  in  his  hand,  and,  halting  at  the 
top  of  the  more  frequented  streets  and  public 
places,  he  sounded  his  bell,  calling  aloud  on  the 
people,  for  the  love  of  God  and  for  the  safety  of 
their  consciences,  to  send  their  children  and  slaves 
to  hear  him  expound  the  Christian  doctrine.  But 
his  audience  was  not  always  exclusively  confined 
to  the  two  above-named  classes:  fathers  and 
masters,  accompanied  by  their  whole  families, 
assembled  round  him.  After  these  public  instruc- 
tions, he  would  repair  to  some  church,  followed  by 
two  or  three  hundred  children,  to  whom  he  there 
explained  the  principles  of  our  faith,  mingling 
these  instructions  with  rules  how  to  live  well; 
and  nothing  seemed  more  profitable  to  the  public 
good  than  these  familiar  conferences;  for  where 
childhood  and  youth  are  passed  in  such  profound 
9* 


102 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ignorance  of  religion  as  was  the  case  in  Goa, 
vain  must  be  the  expectation  that  manhood  would 
be  virtuous,  unless  indeed  it  were  accomplished  by 
a miracle : vices  imbibed  with  the  milk  of  infancy 
generally  strengthen  as  age  advances.  Now,  under 
the  indefatigable  zeal  and  charity  of  Xavier,  the  chil- 
dren of  Goa  made  such  progress  in  the  knowledge 
and  practice  of  religion  and  religious  duties,  that 
vicious  parents  could  meet  with  no  sterner  reproof 
than  the  very  virtues  of  their  own  offspring:  in 
fact,  they  were  often  reprehended  by  them  with  a 
freedom  and  zeal  far  superior  to  childhood;  when, 
often,  on  such  occasions,  confounded  and  affected, 
the  parents  would  allow  the  children  to  conduct 
them  to  the  holy  man,  to  be  by  him  turned  to  a 
better  course  of  life,  declaring  that  they  were 
ashamed  of  being  taught  bj7-  the  example  of  their 
children.  At  the  recommendation  of  our  saint, 
the  archbishop  promulgated  an  order  for  the  public 
instruction  of  children  in  all  the  churches  of  Goa, 
which  had  never  been  done  there  before ; and  the 
practice  proved  of  great  public  and  private  utility. 

To  these  salutary  labors  of  fervent  zeal,  Xavier 
added  familiar  intercourse  and  private  conversa- 
tion with  sinners.  There  was  nothing  rigid  or 
austere  about  him : on  the  contrary,  he  was  ex- 
tremely affable,  more  especially  to  those  sinners 
whose  consciences  were  most  deeply  stained : he 
resembled  in  this  an  affectionate  mother,  whose 
love  increases  and  whose  heart  softens  the  more 
she  sees  her  dear  child  suffer.  To  men  who  were 
publicly  and  notoriously  immoral  he  addressed 
himself  with  cordiality,  even  inviting  himself  to 
dine  at  their  table,  feigning  ignorance  of  their 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  10* 

excesses  and  the  fruits  of  them;  of  which  conduct 
and  its  consequences  admirable  details  will  be 
given  elsewhere.  It  was  no  small  advantage  to 
him  to  have  gained  their  friendship,  and  to  be 
looked  upon  by  them  as  a man  who  could  deal 
leniently  with  sinners;  because,  when  any  one  of 
this  stamp  became  converted,  he  trustingly  placed 
his  soul  in  the  hands  of  Xavier,  sure  of  meeting 
with  compassion  as  well  as  with  a remedy  for  his 
maladies;  and  then,  again,  it  enabled  him,  with 
the  freedom  of  a friend,  to  express  an  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  their  souls.  There  was  something 
quite  remarkable  in  the  manner  and  method  of 
his  charity  when  working  at  a conversion  : in  the 
beginning  he  so  well  knew  how  to  accept  the  litth 
as  if  it  were  not  a little,  which  the  weakness  of  the 
sinner’s  virtue  was  then  disposed  to  give;  and  his 
never  leaving  them  to  themselves,  as  if  it  belonged 
to  them  to  take  all  the  trouble  of  preparing  their 
confession,  or  as  if  they  were  to  discharge  the  whole 
debt  of  penance  due  to  God  for  their  sins : the 
heaviest  part  of  both  generally  fell  to  his  owa 
share. 

In  the  fourth  book  we  shall  dwell  more  fully  on 
the  soothing  and  efficacious  means  which  he  used 
to  gain  souls,  not  only  at  Goa,  but  throughout  the 
rest  of  India. 

The  religious  position  of  Goa  being  thus  im- 
proved in  the  first  six  months  from  the  date  of  S. 
Francis  Xavier’s  arrival  there,  God  was  pleased  to 
think  it  time  to  summon  him  beyond  the  narrow 
boundaries  of  a city,  to  place  his  zeal  in  a more 
ample  sphere  and  where  it  might  employ  itself  it 
the  conversion  of  the  pagans.  r 


104 


THE  LIFE  OF 


The  eastern  coast  of  India  stretching  from  Cape 
Comorin  as  far  as  the  island  of  Manar,  which  is 
called  the  Fishery,  from  the  pearls  which  abound 
in  and  which  are  dived  for  in  that  sea,  was  first 
frequented  by  the  Saracens  for  traffic  only;  but  by 
degrees,  as  they  increased  in  power,  wealth,  and 
numbers,  they  tyrannized  over  the  poor  natives, 
who  were  obliged  to  submit  to  their  oppressions, 
because  not  powerful  enough  to  resist  them;  until 
the  37ear  1532,  when,  their  patience  being  ex- 
hausted, they  resolved  to  shake  off  so  insupport- 
able a yoke,  by  the  total  extermination  of  those 
who  imposed  it.  The  final  provocation  which  led 
to  this  decision  was  this.  In  a dispute  between  a 
Saracen  and  a Paravan  (as  a native  of  the  coast  is 
called)  the  former  instantly  tore  off  the  ear-ring 
of  the  latter,  carrying  with  it  a portion  of  the  ear. 
Now,  among  the  Indians,  this  is  one  of  the  greatest 
insults  that  can  be  offered;  and,  as  in  this  instance 
the  offended  party  was  one  of  the  chief  person- 
ages of  the  tribe,  the  whole  district  felt  itself 
outraged,  and  vowed  vengeance  accordingly.  The 
Paravans  took  their  measures  so  secretly  that  in 
One  day  they  contrived  the  massacre  of  all  the 
Moors,  with  the  exception  of  a few  who  fled  to 
their  boats  and  pushed  off  to  sea;  but  even  they 
did  not  escape,  God  so  willing  that  a storm  should 
Gink  their  vessels. 

As  soon  as  this  slaughter  of  the  Saracens  became 
generally  known,  their  coreligionists  of  the  sur- 
rounding parts,  who  were  strong  in  numbers, 
combined  for  purposes  of  revenge ; and,  unex- 
pectedly falling  on  the  Paravans  both  by  sea  and 
land,  they  slew  them  by  thousands,  destroying 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  105 

their  habitations  and  carrying  away  an  immense 
booty.  And,  in  order  that  not  one  of  them  should 
escape,  they  promised  the  peasantry  belonging  to 
the  states  bordering  on  Parava,  to  pay  them  a sum 
equivalent  to  four  reals  for  the  head  of  every 
Paravan  they  should  bring  to  them : however, 
later,  when  the  number  was  found  to  be  so  great*, 
they  reduced  the  price  to  one  real:  so  despicable 
among  savages  is  the  life  of  a fellow-creature  as  to 
be  valued  at  a lower  rate  than  the  carcass  of  a 
brute  beast. 

But,  in  spite  of  all  this,  the  Paravans  were  not 
wholly  exterminated  : great  numbers  escaped  to 
the  neighboring  kingdoms,  among  others  a man 
named  John  of  the  Cross,  who,  not  long  before, 
had  gone  thither  from  Goa  as  a merchant.  He 
was  a native  of  Malabar,  a Christian,  and  a person 
of  great  discretion,  having  served  as  ambassador 
to  Portugal,  in  the  name  of  the  Samorin  of  Calicut, 
his  master.  During  his  stay  in  Europe  he  wag 
baptized,  and  King  John  III.  honored  him  with 
the  order  of  knighthood;  but  on  his  return  to 
Malabar  his  own  sovereign  banished  him  froin 
court  in  disgrace  as  a renegade. 

To  him,  then,  did  the  expatriated  Paravans 
apply,  less  for  counsel  than  for  aid  : having  already 
consulted  among  themselves,  they  had  decided  on 
placing  themselves  under  the  protection  of  the 
Portuguese;  so  that  all  they  now  wanted  was  a 
person  to  accompany  some  of  them  and  interpret 
their  wishes  and  necessities  to  the  commander  ol 
Cochin.  The  Malabarese  knight  willingly  entered 
into  their  views  in  compassion  for  their  miseries, 
and  still  more  from  a hope  of  gaining  over  theii 


106 


THE  LIFE  OF 


souls  to  the  faith  of  Christ.  Fifteen  of  the  prin- 
cipal members  of  the  tribe,  together  with  John  o* 
the  Cross,  travelled  to  Cochin,  where  they  stated 
their  case  to  the  Portuguese  ruler  there,  and 
entered  into  a mutual  compact  of  protection  on 
one  side  and  of  conversion  on  the  other.  As  the 
Portuguese  undertook  to  arm  a fleet  and  rescue 
parava  from  the  Saracens,  the  fifteen  who  were  to 
remain  as  guarantees  for  the  fulfilment  of  the 
Paravan  part  of  the  agreement  seemed  but  a very 
email  security;  but  when  this  was  suggested  to 
them  one  of  their  number  returned  to  his  country- 
men and  easily  procured  seventy  more  hostages. 
In  the  mean  time  the  Moors  obtained  intelligence 
of  what  was  going  on,  and,  assembling  in  council 
decided  on  sending  an  embassy  to  Cochin,  who 
was  authorized  to  offer  the  commander  a very 
large  sum  of  money,  besides  other  valuables,  if  he 
would  break  treaty  with  the  Paravans ; but  he, 
having  purchased  the  salvation  of  these  people, 
answered,  like  a good  Christian,  that  a mountain 
of  gold  would  not  suffice  to  shake  his  purpose, 
and  he  dismissed  the  Saracen  ambassador  with 
contempt. 

The  eighty-five  Paravans  were  baptized  by 
Michael  Yaz,  the  vicar-general  of  the  Indies,  and, 
after  accompanying  the  fleet,  which  attacked  and 
defeated  the  Saracens,  regained  possession  of  their 
territories  along  the  coast.  Twenty  thousand  of 
them,  inhabiting  thirty  townships,  became  Chris- 
tians at  once,  and  finally  all  of  them  were  bap- 
tized. But  further  than  this  they  had  no  instruc- 
tion, for  there  was  no  priest  who  knew  their  lan- 
guage; nor  had  the  Portuguese  intercourse  with 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  107 

them  beyond  what  was  necessary  for  the  few 
merchants  who  repaired  to  the  fishery  only  during 
the  pearl-season.  Affairs  remained  in  this  state 
for  ten  years,  till  Francis  Xavier  arrived  in  the 
Indies, — when  it  occurred  to  the  mind  of  the 
vicar  general  that  he  was  a man  equal  to  the 
difficult  enterprise  of  cultivating  the  still-unformed 
Church  of  Parava ; and  accordingly  he  made  the 
proposal  to  him.  No  offer  could  have  been  more 
gratifying  to  the  heart  of  the  holy  man;  for, 
though  his  labor  in  Goa  increased  and  succeeded 
to  his  wishes,  he  was  incessantly  sighing  for  the 
conversion  of  the  infidels,  and  wondering  how  long 
it  would  be  ere  Almighty  God  would  load  his 
shoulders  with  the  idolatrous  Indian  which  in 
Europe  had  so  often  foreshadowed  his  slumbers. 

Extending  his  arms,  as  if  to  enclose  within  them 
the  whole  of  Parava,  he  generously  offered  him- 
self to  the  vicar.  Then,  receiving  the  archbishop’s 
blessing,  and  obtaining  a promise  from  the  Go- 
vernor that  as  soon  as  his  two  companions  should 
arrive  from  Mozambique  he  would  send  them  to 
him,  he  quitted  Goa,  to  the  inexpressible  regret  of 
the  whole  city.  Di  Soza  would  have  furnished 
him  with  any  amount  of  money  to  enable  him  to 
appear  with  becoming  dignity  at  the  fishery ; but 
holy  poverty  was  as  precious  to  him  as  his  zeal 
was  apostolic;  and  he  refused  all  the  offers  of  the 
Governor,  with  the  exception  of  a pair  of  shoes  to 
preserve  his  feet  from  the  scorching  heat  of  the 
sands,  and  a something,  of  I know  not  what 
description,  to  serve  as  a shade  against  the  burn- 
ing rays  of  the  sun.  For  his  companions  in  the 
enterprise  he  had  two  young  Indians,  who  from 


108 


THE  LIFE  OF 


childhood  had  been  familiarized  with  Catholic 
rites,  and  who  had  recently  been  made  deacons. 

They  sailed  from  Goa  to  Cape  Comorin,  a dis- 
tance of  six  hundred  miles;  then  they  pursued 
their  way  by  land  as  far  as  Tutucurim.  On  the 
road  they  halted  at  an  idolatrous  village,  where, 
by  means  of  one  of  his  companions  acting  as 
interpreter,  Xavier  began  to  announce  the  name 
of  Christ;  but  his  endeavors  were  fruitless,  the 
pagans  declaring  that  they  could  not  change  their 
religion  without  the  consent  of  their  lord  and 
master.  Almighty  God,  however,  would  not  allow 
these  first  labors  of  his  servant  to  be  wholly  use- 
less : to  encourage  his  hopes,  and  as  a presage  of 
what  his  future  ^vas  to  be,  he  here  imparted  to  him 
the  gift  of  miracles,  which  then  and  afterward 
rendered  his  name  as  famous  as  the  miracles  them- 
selves. For  three  days  a pagan  woman  had  been 
suffering  in  the  pains  of  childbirth:  neither  the 
prayers  of  the  Brahmins  nor  the  force  of  medical 
aid  could  give  her  any  relief,  so  that  she  was 
actually  at  the  point  of  death.  The  holy  man, 
hearing  of  her  state,  went  with  one  of  his  inter- 
preters to  her  house ; “ and,”  says  he,  “ forgetting 
that  I was  in  a strange  land,  I began  to  invoke 
the  name  of  the  Lord:  nevertheless,  all  parts  of 
the  world  belong  to  him,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
them  are  likewise  his.  I then  explained  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  faith  to  the  suffering  woman,  per- 
suading her  to  place  her  confidence  in  the  God  of 
the  Christians.  And  God,  who  by  means  of  her 
restoration  to  health  intended  to  work  the  salva- 
*.ion  of  that  people,  inwardly  moved  her  to  believe; 
that  when  I asked  her  whether  she  believed  in 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  109 

Christ,  and  whether  she  would  receive  taptism, 
she  readily  answered  both  questions  affirmatively.” 
Hereupon  the  saint  read  one  of  the  Gospels  over 
her  and  baptized  her,  when  she  was  immediately 
delivered  and  was  cured. 

The  evidence  of  the  fact  astounded  the  whole 
family,  and  occasioned  the  greatest  joy : they 
threw  themselves  at  the  feet  of  Xavier  and  de- 
manded baptism,  which  he  conferred  after  giving 
them  the  necessary  instructions. 

A report  of  this  event  soon  spread  throughout 
the  neighborhood : so,  following  up  this  good 
beginning,  he  endeavored  to  become  acquainted 
with  some  of  the  more  influential  persons  of  the 
place,  to  whom  he  freely  spoke  of  the  law  of 
Jesus  Christ.  However  willing  they  might  be  to 
believe  his  teaching,  they  did  not  dare  to  embrace 
it  without  the  consent  of  their  prince.  One  of  the 
ministers  of  the  royal  revenue  happening  to  be  on 
the  spot,  the  saint  addressed  himself  to  him;  and 
our  Lord  gave  such  efficacy  to  his  words,  when 
explaining  the  truths  of  religion,  the  importance 
of  salvation,  and  the  eternal  torments  of  hell,  that 
the  official  acknowledged  the  beauty  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  agreed  to  the  baptism  of  such  of  the 
people  as  wished  for  it. 

Upon  this,  Xavier  cheerfully  began  to  instruct 
some  of  the  chiefs,  whom  with  their  families  he 
baptized : then  the  rest  of  the  people,  of  all  ages 
and  ranks,  eagerly  followed  the  example  of  their 
superiors,  and  became  Christians.  Deferring  their 
further  instruction  to  a more  convenient  time,  he 
proceeded  to  Tutucurim,  from  whence  he  began  to 
traverse,  one  by  one,  the  various  hamlets  dispersed 
10 


110 


THE  LIFE  OF 


along  the  coast.  As  we  have  already  remarked, 
nearly  half  of  them  were  nominally  Christians, 
and  the  rest  idolaters;  but,  as  far  as  the  know- 
ledge and  practice  of  the  gospel  were  concerned, 
Christians  and  pagans  were  equally  ignorant;  for 
the  formei,  with  the  exception  of  baptism,  which 
they  had  received  rather  to  escape  the  yoke  of 
Mohammed  than  to  embrace  that  of  Christ,  lived 
much  like  the  latter. 

“ What  could  I do  here  among  them,”  writes  the 
saint,  “ since  I neither  knew  their  language,  nor 
they  mine  ? My  only  plan  was  to  choose  some  of 
the  best-educated  among  them,  who,  besides  their 
native  idiom,  had  some  knowledge  of  Portuguese : 
by  working  assiduously  together  for  several  days, 
we  translated  into  Malabarese  the  mode  of  making 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  of  thus  acknowledging 
one  God  in  three  persons, — the  Apostles’  Creed, 
the  Pater  Noster , the  Confiteor,  the  Commandments, 
the  Ave  Maria , and  the  Salve  Regina.  I then 
transferred  all  this  to  my  own  memory,  and,  sally- 
ing forth  bell  in  hand,  I collected  as  many  men 
and  children  round  me  as  I could,  and,  leading 
them  to  a suitable  spot,  I recited  to  them  what  I 
had  been  learning.  1 did  this  twice  a day  for  a 
whole  month,  desiring  those  who  heard  me  to  re- 
peat to  their  families  at  home  what  I had  been  say- 
ing to  them.  On  Sundays  I had  a general  assem- 
blage of  all  the  people,  men,  women,  and  children, 
who  came  in  crowds  with  great  delight,  when  the 
prayers  were  sung  in  common.  Beginning  with 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  to  testify  our  belief  of  Three 
in  One,  we  sung  the  creed,  which  being  ended,  I 
recited  the  first  article  all  the  rest  being  silent, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


Ill 


and  asked  them  whether  they  verily  believed  it : 
hereupon,  crossing  their  arms  upon  their  breasts, 
they  all  together  cried  out  that  they  did.  Then  I, 
and  they  conjointly  with  me,  prayed  thus: — ‘O 
Jesus  Christ,  Son  of  God  ! give  us  grace  firmly  .o 
believe,  and  without  ever  doubting,  the  first  article 
of  faith;  and,  to  induce  thee  to  give  us  this  grace, 
let  us  recite  a Pater Noster,’  which  being  ended,  we 
thus  proceeded  : — ‘O  holy  Mary,  Mother  of  Jesus 
Christ,  obtain  for  us  the  grace  firmly  to  believe, 
without  the  least  doubt,  the  first  article  of  the 
creed;  and,  that  you  may  obtain  this  favor  for  us, 
let  us  recite  an  Ave  Maria  ’ In  this  manuer  we 
went  through  the  twelve  articles  of  the  Creed,  and 
then  passed  on  to  the  Ten  Commandments,  first 
all  together,  and  afterward  each  one  separately, 
mingling  the  Pater  Noster  and  Ave  Maria  as  we 
did  in  the  Creed,  but  changing  the  petition  for 
belief  into  that  of  faithful  observance . It  is  impos- 
sible to  describe  the  admiration  of  the  gentiles  as 
well  as  the  new  Christians  for  our  holy  law,  which 
they  declare  to  be  so  perfectly  in  conformity  with 
the  law  of  nature  and  right  reason.  What  I 
chiefly  insist  upon,  and  most  frequently  repeat, 
are  the  Creed  and  the  Commandments.  I make 
them  all  say  the  Confiteor,  especially  those  whom  I 
am  about  to  baptize;  after  which  they  say  the 
Creed,  I asking  whether  they  sincerely  believe. 
And  upon  their  answering  yes,  I explain  the  law 
of  Christ,  and  what  they  must  believe  in  order  to 
salvation  ; and  then  I baptize  them.  We  conclude 
our  service  by  reciting  the  Salve  Regina.”  Thus 
Iwrites  the  holy  man. 

i He  remained  a month  in  each  place,  diligently 


112 


THE  LIFE  OF 


instructing  the  people  in  this  manner;  ana,  after 
baptizing  the  inhabitants  before  leaving  one  village 
for  another,  he  assembled  some  of  the  best  dis- 
posed and  best  instructed,  and  gave  them  in 
writing  all  that  he  had  taught  them,  constituting 
them  the  teachers  of  their  tribe,  desiring  them  to 
assemble  on  all  festivals,  to  keep  alive  the  memory 
of  what  they  had  learned,  repeating  it  all  in  the 
same  manner  as  they  had  done  with  him.  To  the 
care  of  these  neophytes  did  he  intrust  the  churches 
which  were  raised  in  the  more  populous  districts, 
desiring  them  to  attend  to  them,  and  adorn  them 
as  far  as  the  poverty  of  the  country  permitted. 
That  these  Catechists,  or  Canacopoles,  as  they  were 
styled  in  their  own  language,  might  not  give  their 
time  and  labor  without  some  sort  of  remuneration, 
he  requested  that  the  annual  tribute  of  four  thou- 
sand small  pieces  of  gold,  paid  by  the  Coast  ot 
Fishery  to  the  Queen  of  Portugal,  might  be 
divided  among  them.  The  Governor  consented  to 
this  plan,  which  was  approved  of  by  her  Majesty, 
to  whom  Xavier  wrote  for  the  purpose. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  give  an  idea  of  the  har- 
vest of  souls,  or  the  works  worthy  of  an  infant 
church  in  its  first  fervor,  which  here  attended  our 
holy  Apostle:  he  himself,  in  a letter  to  S.  Ignatius, 
owrns  that  he  has  not  words  to  describe  them,  but 
says  that  frequently  the  multitudes  who  flocked  to 
him  for  baptism  were  so  numerous  that  he  was 
unable  to  go  on  raising  his  arm  to  make  the  sign 
of  the  cross  for  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ment, and  that  his  voice  literally  became  extinct 
from  the  incessant  repetition  of  the  Creed,  the 
Commandments,  and  a certain  brief  admonition 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


113 


on  the  duties  of  a Christian  life,  the  bliss  of  heaven, 
the  pains  of  hell,  and  what  good  or  evil  deeds  lead 
to  the  one  or  the  other.  In  one  single  day  he 
baptized  the  inhabitants  of  a whole  parish:  of 
children  only,  who  died  before  they  lost  their  bap- 
tismal innocence,  and  who  in  death  went  at  once 
to  the  enjoyment  of  God,  he  counted  upward  of  a 
thousand. 

He  found  the  children  so  assiduous  in  what  con- 
cerned the  service  of  Almighty  God,  and  so  anxious 
to  learn  more  and  more  about  the  mysteries  of 
faith,  that  they  scarcely  left  him  time  to  snatch  a 
hasty  meal  by  day  or  a short  repose  by  night,  or 
even  to  get  through  the  recitation  of  the  divine 
office:  he  was  actually  obliged  to  hide  himself 
when  he  had  to  fulfil  this  last  duty ; and  yet  this 
did  not  often  succeed,  for  they  generally  contrived 
to  find  him  out.  In  their  ardor,  they  were  con- 
tinually disputing,  and  at  war  with  the  pagans: 
they  hunted  up  the  idols,  which  they  brought  and 
tore  in  pieces  at  the  saint’s  feet;  and  then,  piling 
the  fragments  in  heaps,  they  treated  them  with 
the  greatest  contumely,  kicking  them  about,  cover- 
ing them  with  filth,  and  reducing  them  to  ashes 
which  they  cast  into  the  sea.  If  they  discovered 
any  Christian  showing  respect  to  a pagod,  as  they 
call  their  idols,  these  fervent  youths  would  boldly 
reprove  him,  even  if  he  were  their  own  father; 
and  if  this  did  not  suffice  to  check  the  impiety, 
they  ran  to  complain  to  the  holy  father,  who,  sur- 
rounded by  his  youthful  group,  proceeded  to  the 
house,  and,  seizing  all  the  idols  he  could  find,  gave 
them  up  to  the  contempt  and  execration  of  the 
children. 

H 


10* 


114 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Happening  to  hear  that  one  of  the  Christians 
gave  public  scandal  by  his  idolatry,  and  finding 
that  his  bestial,  grovelling  soul  would  not  be 
influenced  either  by  faith  or  reason,  he  resolved  to 
find  some  means  of  making  him  understand  some- 
thing of  the  flames  he  would  be  condemned  to  for 
eternity,  in  company  with  the  devils  he  persisted 
in  adoring,  and  accordingly  gave  orders  for  the 
house  to  be  burned ; and  scarcely  would  lie  accede 
to  the  entreaties  of  the  idolater  and  his  friends 
that  the  furnitur  might  be  spared:  all  the  rest, 
but  especially  the  idols  which  had  occasioned  the 
mischief,  were  reduced  to  ashes,  as  a fearful  ex- 
ample and  warning  to  those  who,  like  this  impious 
man,  might  be  tempted  to  break  faith  with  God. 
Neither  did  the  boldest  among  them  venture  to 
contradict  or  raise  an  arm  against  him,  so  great 
was  the  reverence  with  which  Almighty  God  had 
inspired  them  for  him,  and  so  great  was  the  awe 
occasioned  by  his  miraculous  powers;  to  which  we 
may  also  add  the  prompt  and  severe  chastisement 
which  overtook  an  audacious  infidel  who  insulted 
him.  He  was  one  of  the  nobles  of  Manapar,  to 
whose  house  Xavier  went  and  begged  that  he 
would  give  him  an  audience,  as  there  were  things 
of  importance  to  the  welfare  of  his  soul  which  he 
wished  to  speak  to  him  about.  But  the  barbarian 
would  not  so  much  as  see  him:  he  gave  orders 
that  the  door  should  be  shut  in  his  face,  with 
this  ungracious  answer: — “ Tell  him  he  may  do 
the  same  to  me  when  he  sees  me  coming  to  seek 
admission  into  his  church.”  Almighty  God  regis- 
tered his  words,  and  gave  them  their  literal  accom- 
plishment; for  soon  afterward  this  very  nobleman 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


115 


was  suddenly  assailed  by  a troop  of  armed  men, 
who  were  pursuing  him  to  death  : flight  was  his 
only  chance  of  escape,  and,  perceiving  no  other 
place  of  refuge  than  the  church,  he  directed  his 
steps  toward  it  at  the  height  of  his  speed,  quite 
unmindful  of  his  own  malediction.  The  enemy 
were  in  sight,  sending  their  arrows  after  him, 
though  still  at  too  great  a distance  to  take  effect. 
The  Christians  who  were  assembled  in  the  church 
for  their  usual  devotions  heard  the  cries  of  the 
wretched  man,  and,  seeing  the  fury  of  his  pursuers, 
supposed  it  to  he  directed  against  themselves,  and, 
fearing  that  the  soldiers  were  coming  to  rob  the 
church,  or  to  commit  some  other  outrage,  hastily 
closed  and  secured  the  door  at  the  very  moment 
the  fugitive  reached  it : his  entreaties  for  admit- 
tance were  (under  the  misapprehension)  all  in 
vain,  and  he  was  left  to  the  mercy  of  his  enemies, 
vrho  by  his  death  avenged  not  so  much  their  own 
injuries  as  the  outrage  offered  to  the  saint. 

The  Brahmins  themselves,  much  as  they  hated 
him  in  their  hearts  for  exposing  their  abominations 
both  of  doctrine  and  private  vices,  outwardly 
showed  him  marks  of  affection  and  reverenced 
him  as  a holy  man.  Among  the  Indians,  these 
Brahmins  are  the  most  noble  race,  and  are  more 
respected  than  any  others:  their  most  ancient 
records  affirm  them  to  be  of  Divine  origin, — ex- 
plaining their  belief  in  this  manner.  They  say 
that  Para-Brahma,  the  first  and  chief  of  all  their 
gods,  though  of  invisible  substance,  was  once 
seized  with  a desire  of  rendering  himself  visible, 
and  for  this  purpose  made  himself  man ; that, 
whilst  in  this  state,  he,  by  the  mere  act  of  his 


116 


THE  LIFE  OF 


will,  conceived  a son,  which  issued  from  his  mouth, 
and  whom  he  named  Maiso;  that  he  afterward 
gave  birth  to  a second,  which  came  forth  from 
his  breast;  and  then  in  like  manner  a third,  which 
proceeded  from  his  bowels : he  called  the  former 
Yishnu,  and  the  latter  Brahma.  Having  thus 
alone  generated  these  three  children,  he  deter- 
mined to  return  to  heaven,  and  there  rest  in  the 
enjoyment  of  himself;  but  he  w'ould  first  assign  a 
patrimony  to  each  of  these  three  sons.  To  the 
eldest  he  awarded  the  first  space  immediately 
below  heaven,  with  dominion  over  the  elements, 
of  which  he  was  to  compose  mixed  bodies,  of  such 
quality  and  quantity  as  he  pleased.  To  Yishnu 
the  second  space  was  given,  with  authority  to  ad- 
minister justice  among  men  and  to  succor  them  in 
their  necessities.  The  third  space  below  heaven 
was  awarded  to  Brahma,  whose  office  it  was  to 
preside  over  sacrifices  and  ceremonies,  and  to 
superintend  the  ablutions,  rites,  and  all  other 
forms  connected  with  religion.  The  Indians  repre- 
sent these  gods  under  the  figure  of  a man  with 
three  heads,  thus  denoting  that  they  all  spring 
from  one  and  the  same  root.  These  three  are 
much  honored  and  invoked;  whilst  Para-Brahma 
is  wholly  neglected,  under  the  plea  that,  dwelling 
in  heaven  wholly  concentrated  in  himself,  he  has 
no  regard  to  mundane  affairs.  It  is  said  that,  in 
order  to  readjust  the  discordant  concerns  of  man- 
kind, Yishnu  has  been  thousands  of  times  on 
earth,  but  assuming  a different  figure  each  time, 
— sometimes  of  animals,  and  sometimes  of  mis- 
shapen, hideous-looking  men  : hence  the  number 
of  their  pagods,  as  they  call  their  inferior  divini- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


117 


ties.  Brahma,  being  anxious  for  posterity,  de- 
scended on  earth  and  became  the  father  of  the 
Brahmins,  now  multiplied  beyond  number,  yet  all 
claiming  to  be  of  the  same  divine  origin.  How- 
ever poor  and  abject  they  may  be,  the  people  look 
upon  them  as  demi-gods,  and  believe  them  to  be 
saints,  because  of  their  presumed  observance  of  a 
rigorous  precept  which  forbids  them  ever  to  eat 
flesh-meat,  fish,  or  any  thing  having  life.  Their 
food,  even  though  they  be  kings,  must  consist  only 
of  milk,  fruit,  herbs,  and  roots : nevertheless, 
greater  rogues  never  existed  in  this  world.  Saint 
Francis  Xavier,  who  had  so  much  to  do  with  them 
and  who  knew  them  so  thoroughly,  said  that  if 
there  were  no  Brahmins  there  would  not  be  a 
single  idolater  throughout  the  vast  regions  of 
India.  The  authority  and  influence  which  they 
have  over  the  princes,  the  veneration  in  which 
they  are  held  by  the  people,  the  thousand  artifices 
which  they  use  to  impose  on  popular  credulity, 
their  immense  numbers,  the  union  they  maintain 
among  themselves,  their  selfishness,  render  them 
almost  invincible,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  most 
determined  opponents  of  Christianity.  Goa  was 
actually  full  of  them,  where  they  openly  celebrated 
their  sacrifices,  ceremonies,  marriages,  and  obse- 
quies, according  to  the  Gentile  forms, — burning 
widows  with  the  remains  of  their  deceased  hus- 
bands. and  performing  their  public  solemnities  just 
as  they  pleased.  In  a word,  he  said  that  we 
might  apply  to  them  the  prayer  which  David 
made  to  God: — “From  the  nation  that  is  not  holy, 
and  from  the  wicked  and  deceitful  man,  deliver 
me  ” They  lived  at  the  expense  of  the  idols, 


118 


THE  LIFE  OF 


feasting  on  the  luxuries  presented  to  them,  selling 
fables  for  mysteries,  and  preaching  every  absurdity 
which  entered  their  brain,  of  which  one  of  the 
chief  was  to  make  the  people  believe  that  the 
pagods  have  appetites  like  ordinary  mortals,  or, 
rather,  far  more  voracious  than  ordinary  mortals; 
that  they  imbibe  the  essence  of  the  meats  set 
before  them  through  the  effluvial  medium,  and 
that,  though  the  meat  remains  apparently  the 
same,  it  is  in  effect  only  the  bark  or  husk,  but,  as 
this  has  been  consecrated  to  the  idols,  the  Brah- 
mins alone  can  be  permitted  to  consume  it.  Upon 
the  strength  of  such  fables  as  these  are  the  Brah- 
mins and  their  families  maintained  in  luxury  and 
ease. 

Should  the  offerings  of  the  people  become  scarce, 
the  Brahmins  scour  the  country,  proclaiming  the 
indignation  of  the  gods,  who  are  about  to  send 
chastisements  of  famine,  pestilence,  and  war,  or 
else  that  they  threaten  to  abandon  the  country, 
since  they  are  left  to  starve.  The  consequence  is, 
the  poor  deluded  beings,  in  dismay,  would  rather 
see  themselves  and  their  families  in  want  than 
their  pagods  dissatisfied  or  their  priests  lean.  In 
some  places  numbers  of  these  Brahmins  dwell 
together,  almost  in  the  manner  of  religious  com- 
munities among  us,  and  some  of  their  monasteries 
maintain  several  hundreds.  Some,  again,  are 
called  Joguies,  in  whose  persons  the  devil  would 
seem  to  counterfeit  the  ancient  hermits  of  the 
desert : they  withdraw  to  the  wildest  and  most 
solitary  places,  a cave  in  a mountain,  or  the  trunk 
of  a tree,  or  an  iron  cage,  or  some  roofless  hut, 
where  they  spend  a certain  number  of  years  in 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


119 

fasting,  nakedness,  silence,  cold,  and  excessive 
beat,  until,  hardened  like  a board,  and  become  of 
horribly  savage  aspect,  they  either  return  to  the 
city,  or  undertake  the  wandering  life  of  a pilgrim, 
rambling  all  over  the  East,  everywhere  reverenced, 
and  looked  upon  as  men  come  down  from  heaven. 
Whatever  abominations  they  may  commit  are  con- 
sidered virtues,  rather  than  crimes,  lor  they  are 
believed  to  be  impeccable : their  insults  become 
honors,  and  a wound,  even  if  mortal,  if  indicted 
by  them,  is  held  to  be  sanctifying.  Their  doctrine 
corresponds  with  their  manners  and  morals.  They 
study,  it  is  true,  and  they  have  academies,  ancient 
authors,  books  of  poetry  written  on  palm-leaves, 
the  paper  of  the  Indians  They  have,  evidently, 
a knowledge  of  a primary  cause,  or  God  of  the 
universe,  of  ministering  intelligences,  of  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world,  of  rewards  and  chastisements, 
of  the  immortality  <?f  the  soul, — doctrines  taken 
from  an  ancient  volume,  which  tradition  says 
was  composed  by  a disciple  of  Saint  Thomas.  But 
with  what  is  true  they  have  mingled  such  a vast 
amount  of  their  own  falsehoods  that  for  one  grain 
of  truth  we  may  find  a hundredweight  of  lies;  for 
every  Brahmin  may  invent  and  teach  whatever  he 
chooses.  And  even  what  truths  they  do  know,  of 
God  and  of  a future  state,  they  take  care  to  keep 
to  themselves, — it  being  their  inviolable  law  never 
to  disclose  these  things  excepting  to  the  master- 
Brahmins,  and  then  only  under  the  obligation  of 
strict  secrecy.  Their  religion,  however,  ends  in 
incantations  and  magic,  in  which  they  are  adepts, 
in  ceremonies  and  sacrificial  rites,  with  which  they 
honor  devils,  and  in  inventing  new  pagods  with 


120 


THE  LIFE  OF 


hideous  faces,  distorted  limbs,  horns,  and  tails : the 
more  monstrous  they  are,  the  more  they  are  revered. 
Their  belief  in  the  transmigration  of  souls  is  accom 
panied  with  the  most  fearful  excesses;  because 
with  them  an  animal  differs  from  a man  only  in 
figure.  Cows  are  the  most  holy  and  the  most  vene- 
rated objects  in  India : even  kings  plaster  them- 
selves, their  walls  and  pavements,  with  the  excre- 
ments of  these  favored  animals.  Blessed  is  he 
who  is  sprinkled  by  a Brahmin’s  hand  with  the 
ashes  of  a cow’s  bones;  but  still  happier  he  who 
dies  with  the  tail  of  one  in  his  hand  : this  is  the 
sacrament  which  sends  him  forth  absolved  from 
every  sin ; this  is  the  cord  which  draws  a soul  out 
of  its  body  to  convey  it  into  that  of  a cow, — pro- 
vided he  be  worthy  of  such  a lot,  to  which  only 
kings  and  grandees  should  aspire. 

Of  this  pernicious' race  of  Brahmins,  Xavier  for 
a long  time  could  only  win  one  over  to  the  faith, 
notwithstanding  his  frequent  disputations  with 
them,  and  notwithstanding  the  miracles  they  saw 
him  work;  and  yet  he  convinced  thousands  of  them 
of  the  errors  of  their  own  sect : so  difficult  is  it  to 
introduce  the  light  of  supernatural  truth  into  a 
soul  blinded,  not  by  the  mistakes  of  the  intellect, 
but  by  the  malice  of  the  will.  He  rendered  pal- 
pable, as  it  were,  the  impiety,  the  absurdity,  and 
the  falsehoods  of  which  they  were  the  teachers, 
and  they,  unable  to  resist  the  force  of  truth,  owned 
themselves  vanquished:  nevertheless,  though  they 
owned  -themselves  deceived,  they  would  not  re- 
nounce the  deceit,  or  desist  from  deceiving  the 
people,  who  estimated  their  own  merit  by  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  121 

amount  of  alms  which  they  bestowed  on  their 
priests. 

Father  Xavier  himself  relates  that  he  was  once 
passing  near  a monastery  where  upward  of  two 
hundred  Brahmins  resided.  Drawn  either  by  curio- 
sity to  see  so  celebrated  a man,  or  by  some  other 
motive,  a number  of  them  came  forth  to  meet  him. 
He,  as  usual,  received  them  affably,  and,  after  the 
usual  compliments  of  courtesy,  he  and  they  sat 
down  and  began  to  discourse  on  the  salvation  of 
the  soul.  He  inquired  what  their  gods  demanded 
of  them  in  order  to  their  being  happy  after  death. 
Hereupon  great  excitement  arose  among  them  as 
to  which  of  them  ought  to  answer  this  question, — 
whether  it  should  be  the  one  most  learned  or  the 
one  most  elevated  in  dignity.  At  length  they  de- 
cided on  an  old  man  of  eighty,  who  had  grown  gray 
in  malice  as  well  as  in  age.  Knowing  that  he  was 
pleading  a cause  which  could  only  bring  shame 
upon  his  party,  he  strove  to  divert  the  question  by 
saying  to  Xavier,  “ It  is  fitting  that  a stranger 
should  first  give  an  account  of  himself  before  he 
calls  others  to  account : I will  tell  you  what  our 
pagods  give  us  in  recompense,  when  you  have  told 
me  what  the  laws  of  your  God  require  of  you/’ 
But  for  once  his  astuteness  was  defeated.  The 
father/ seeing  the  old  man’s  object,  replied,  “No: 
on  the  contrary,  reason  tells  us  that  he  who  first 
asks  ought  to  be  first  satisfied.”  And  he  said  no 
more,  waiting  for  the  issue.  Being  thus  pressed, 
the  Brahmin,  rather  than  appear  unable  to  give  an 
answer,  reflected  very  seriousl}7  for  a brief  interval, 
and  then,  with  a solemn  countenance,  he  demurely 
said,  “Two  things  secure  for  us  the  blessed  com- 
11 


123 


THE  LIFE  OF 


pany  of  the  gods, — things  which  with  their  own 
mouths  they  have  commanded  : 1.  Never  to  kill  a 
cow;  2.  To  give  alms  to  the  Brahmins  who  serve 
the  pagods.”  This  sapient  reply  drew  forth  the 
applauseof  all  the  rest.  The  saint  tells  us  that 
this  miserable  blindness  brought  tears  into  his  eyes, 
and,  deploring  so  barefaced  an  imposition,  he  did 
not  wait  to  be  called  upon,  but,  making  them  a 
sign  to  remain  seated,  he  rose  up,  and,  making  a 
profound  inclination,  recited  the  Apostles’  Creed, 
and  the  precepts  of  the  Decalogue,  giving  a suc- 
cinct explanation  of  each  one  as  he  proceeded. 
Then  he  described  heaven  and  hell, — the  immense 
glory  of  the  one,  and  the  dreadful  torments  of  the 
other;  showing  that  in  proportion  as  we  live  well 
or  ill,  we  merit  a blissful  eternity  with  God,  or  an 
eternity  of  torments  with  the  devils,  whom  they 
adored  under  the  figures  of  their  pagods.  The 
Brahmins,  who  now  heard  these  truths  for  the 
first  time,  listened  to  him  with  profound  attention, 
and  when  he  ceased  speaking  they  all  rose  up  and 
embraced  him,  declaring  that  the  God  of  the  Chris- 
tians was  the  true  God,  because  his  law  was  so 
completely  in  harmony  with  the  principles  of 
natural  religion.  They  next  overwhelmed  him 
with  a variety  of  questions,  each  one  asking  accord- 
ing to  his  own  doubts:  such  as,  whether  the  soul 
really  could  be  immortal,  and  how  it  vanishes 
when  we  expire?  at  what  part  of  the  body  it 
issues  from  when  we  die  ? Whether,  when  in  oui 
dreams  we  seem  to  be  in  distant  places,  or  con- 
versing with  absent  friends,  this  happens  in  conse- 
quence of  the  soul  being  able  temporarily  to  quit 
the  body  and  go  whither  in  our  sleep  we  seem  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


123 


be,  and  then  returns  and  re-enters  the  body?  Of 
what  color  is  Almighty  God  ? — whether  black  or 
white  ? Great  disputes  existed  between  their  theo- 
logians on  this  point, — the  white  men  affirming 
that  he  is  white,  and  the  black  that  he  is  black : 
the  greater  part  of  their  pagods  are  of  the  latter 
color,  because  the  black  Brahmins  form  the  ma- 
jority. 

Father  Xavier  answered  all  these  questions  in  a 
manner  suited  to  the  gross  material  minds  he  had 
to  deal  with,  and  so  well  satisfied  them  that  they 
thanked  him  in  the  most  complimentary  terms. 
Then  he,  seeing  them  so  far  instructed,  and  so  well 
disposed,  pressed  upon  them  the  necessity  they 
were  under  of  embracing  the  law  of  Christ;  be- 
cause the  plea  of  ignorance  could  no  longer  save 
them  from  the  penalty  of  hell,  since  the  truth  had 
been  made  manifest  to  them.  “ But  they,”  says 
the  saint,  “ answered  me  much  as  many  Chris- 
tians do  nowadays: — ‘What  will  the  world  say  of 
us  if  we  make  such  a change  ? and  how  shall  we 
subsist  without  the  alms  which  are  given  to  the 
pagods?’  Hence  the  same  happened  with  them  as 
with  others  whom  self-interest,  worldly  reputation, 
and  convenience  overrule : the  knowledge  of  the 
truth  only  serves  to  their  greater  condemnation; 
since  they  prefer  enjoying  the  comforts  of  the 
present  life  rather  than  provide  against  the  future 
torments  of  the  next.” 

No  better  success  attended  his  interview  with  the 
most  celebrated  Brahmin  of  that  country,  a man 
really  possessed  of  some  learning.  He  had  been 
educated  in  the  first  academy  of  the  East,  and  was 
intrusted  with  a knowledge  of  those  mysteries 


124 


THE  LIFE  OF 


which  are  concealed  from  all  save  a few  of  the 
most  learned  of  their  theologians.  The  saint  was 
most  anxious  to  see  him;  whilst  he,  on  his  side, 
was  equally  anxious  to  meet  with  Xavier.  The 
motive  of  the  latter  was  the  hope  of  gaining  him 
to  the  faith,  and  of  gaining  with  the  master  many 
of  the  scholars.  Great  numbers  of  the  Brahmins 
looked  up  to  this  one,  as  to  the  oracle  of  their  law. 
The  greeting  was  mutually  courteous  and  cordial, 
religion  becoming  at  once  the  topic  of  discourse. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  cause,  certain  it  is 
that  the  Brahmin  conceived  such  a regard  for  the 
saint  that  he  unfolded  to  him  the  secrets  of  his 
heart,  and  with  them  the  secrets  of  his  creed, 
which  he  had  bound  himself  by  oath  to  conceal. 
Of  these,  the  first  was,  that  the  idols  are  devils; 
that  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Creator  of  the 
universe,  who  reigns  in  heaven,  and  to  whom  alone 
adoration  and  service  are  due;  that  in  his  honor 
the  most  learned  of  their  members  observe  the 
Sunday  as  a most  holy  day,  during  which  no  other 
prayer  is  recited  than  this,  “By  thy  grace,  O 
God,  I adore  thee,  now,  and  for  eternity,”  but  that 
this  prayer  was  obliged  to  be  recited  in  the  lowest 
possible  whisper,  lest  the  oath  of  secrecy  should 
be  violated.  Moreover,  he  recited  the  Decalogue, 
giving  a tolerably  fair  exposition  of  each  precept. 
He  said  that,  in  the  academy  where  he  was  edu- 
cated, there  was  a regular  professor  and  teacher 
of  sorcery;  that  plurality  of  wives,  though  not  a 
law,  was  a privilege  of  nature ; and  that  some  of 
their  most  ancient  manuscripts  affirm  that  the 
time  will  come  when  the  whole  world  will  be 
under  the  subjection  of  one  and  the  same  law. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  125 

Such  were  the  mysteries  which  the  Brahmin 
intrusted  to  Xavier,  and  requested  a correspond- 
ing confidence  on  his  part,  promising  strict  secrecy, 
in  order  to  induce  candor  in  the  saint,  who,  amused 
at  his  companion’s  mistaken  idea  of  the  case,  re- 
joined, “No,  no:  I will  only  unfold  our  mysteries 
to  you  on  condition  that  you  do  your  best  to  pub- 
lish them.”  Having  obtained  a promise  to  this 
effect,  he  began  with  these  words  of  our  Saviour, 
“ He  who  believes,  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved,” 
explaining  them  most  amply;  and,  going  steadily 
onward,  he  so  clearly  made  him  understand  the 
truths  of  the  gospel  and  the  necessity  of  baptism 
that  the  Brahmin  owned  himself  convinced,  ac- 
cepted the  faith,  asked  to  become  a Christian,  but 
in  secret,  because  he  could  not  consent  to  be  pub- 
licly known  as  one.  This  very  circumstance  ren- 
dered him  unworthy  of  the  grace,  such  a condition 
being  incompatible  with  the  sincerity  of  faith  and 
with  the  candor  of  the  Christian’s  life.  He  re- 
quested, however,  to  have  these  words  of  Christ  in 
writing,  together  with  an  explanation  of  them  and 
the  Apostles’  Creed.  He,  moreover,  told  Xavier 
that  one  night,  with  sensible  pleasure  to  himself, 
he  had  dreamed  that  he  was  baptized,  and  that  he 
accompanied  the  saint  to  preach  the  gospel  in  dis- 
tant countries : nevertheless,  the  dream  proved  to 
be  nothing  more  than  a dream,  for  it  led  to  no 
effect.  All  the  entreaties  of  Xavier  could  not 
induce  him  to  promise  that  he  would  teach  the 
people  to  worship  one  only  God,  the  Creator  of  the 
world  : he  said  that  if  he  did  this  he  should  be 
breaking  his  oath  of  secrecy,  and  he  feared  that 
then  the  devil  would  come  and  kill  him. 

11* 


126 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Our  holy  apostle  had  now  sufficient  proof  that 
the  malice  of  the  Brahmins  was  insuperable,  that 
conviction  would  not  change  them,  and  that  they 
would  not  be  drawn  from  their  deceptions  by  the 
mere  fact  of  being  convinced  that  they  had  been 
deceived  and  were  deceiving.  No  other  course 
then  remained  open  to  him  but  to  expose  their  im- 
positions and  frauds : he  therefore  boldly  affirmed 
that  the  Brahmins  well  knew,  and  secretly  con- 
fessed, that  the  pagods  were  devils,  and  their 
religion  nothing  but  a sacrilege;  that  vanity  or 
self-interest  induced  them  to  encourage  the  wor- 
ship of  idols,  because  if  they  did  otherwise  they 
would  forfeit  the  honor  of  being  priests,  and  the 
offerings  of  their  deluded  followers. 

By  degrees  they  became  contemptible  and  odious 
to  the  people:  the  very  children  would  point  at 
them  with  scorn,  and  reproach  them  as  being 
cheats  and  hypocrites,  telling  them  they  knew 
very  well  what  the  truth  was,  though  they  swore 
to  conceal  it,  and  that  the  honor  of  the  pagods 
was  nothing  more  or  less  than  the  gluttony  of  the 
Brahmins.  Finding  themselves  in  such  disrepute, 
and  in  danger  of  losing  the  means  of  subsistence, 
they  denounced  terrible  threats  in  the  name  of  the 
angry  pagods, — famine, pestilence,  earthquakes, and 
whatever  other  maledictions  their  rage  suggested ; 
but  their  artifice  was  discovered,  and  the  people 
who  used  formerly  to  tremble  at  their  wrath  now 
ridiculed  it. 

It  must  have  been  a miracle  of  Xavier’s  virtue 
that  could  make  him  be  thus  feared  or  respected, 
insomuch  that  these  infuriated  men  never  ven- 
tured to  assail  him:  they  merely  endeavored  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


127 


move  him  by  the  most  humble  entreaties  to  have 
some  compassion  upon  them.  They  often  went  to 
visit  him,  as  if  that  alone  would  satisfy  him;  and 
they  would  own  that  they  believed,  as  he  did,  that 
there  was  only  one  God,  to  whom  the}T  promised 
they  would  pray  for  him,  if  he  would  but  desist 
fVom  troubling  them  and  would  leave  them  in  peace 
as  they  were;  assuring  him  that  the  case  was  not 
as  he  represented,  because  it  was  not  from  real 
malice  that  they  upheld  the  worship  of  the  pagods, 
but  only  to  obtain  a reasonable  maintenance  for 
themselves;  that  they  had  no  other  adequate 
means  of  support  in  so  poor  a country.  “ Besides,” 
said  they,  “ what  advantage  will  it  be  to  God  to 
see  us,  our  wives  and  children,  die  of  hunger?  and 
what  harm  can  it  do  him  if  the  people  maintain  us 
from  a motive  of  piety  and  charity?  We  will 
make  him  rich  presents  of  money,  pearls,  and  of 
all  the  most  valuable  things  which  are  given  to  us, 
and  which  we  will  send  to  you,  that  you  may  offer 
them  to  him.”  But  the  saint  would  neither  yield 
to  their  entreaties,  nor  accept  their  presents,  which 
he  invariably  returned  without  so  much  as  looking 
at  them,  but  always  accompanied  with  some  use- 
ful admonition  adapted  to  the  condition  of  men 
who  were  doubly  lost, — first  in  their  own  wilful 
malice,  and  next  as  the  corrupters  of  the  innocent. 

With  men  who  understood  sanctity  of  life  and 
rectitude  of  conduct,  the  contrast  between  the  holy 
life  of  Xavier  and  the  scandalous  life  of  the  Brah- 
mins could  inspire  nothing  but  contempt  and  de- 
testation. The  holy  man’s  fare  was  that  of  the 
poorest  inhabitants  of  the  coast, — a little  masted 
rice,  with  plain  water;  or,  when  he  would  regale 


128 


THE  LIFE  OF 


himself  somewhat  sumptuously,  he  took  a little 
fish,  with  no  other  seasoning  than  that  of  his  own 
appetite;  but,  whatever  his  food  might  be,  it  was 
alwa}Ts  received  as  an  alms  from  the  peasantry. 
His  lodging  was  either  in  some  fisherman’s  hut,  or 
in  the  open  air  on  the  bare  ground  : the  coverlet 
given  him  by  the  Governor  when  he  left  Goa  was 
made  over  to  the  first  poor  person  he  happened  to 
meet:  as  for  the  shoes  which  were  intended  to 
protect  his  feet  from  the  burning  soil,  they  were 
either  -worn  out,  or  given  away;  for  certain  it  is 
that  he  went  barefoot.  If  he  did  not  feel  the 
scorching  heat  of  the  fishery-coast,  nor  the  thorns 
and  brambles  which  lacerated  his  feet  later  in 
Japan,  we  must  attribute  it  to  his  charity  and  zeal 
for  souls,  which  made  him  regardless  of,  and,  as  it 
were,  insensible  to,  his  own  inconveniences:  the 
sweet  hope  of  the  goal  softened  all  the  roughness 
of  the  path  to  it. 

He  owns,  however,  that  his  labors  for  the  Para- 
vans  were  almost  beyond  endurance;  and  if  we 
look  only  to  the  powers  of  nature,  instead  of  to  the 
vigor  of  his  charity,  we  should  scarcely  believe  it 
credible  that  he  could  have  undergone  what  he 
did.  In  addition  to  preaching,  instructing,  baptiz- 
ing, hearing  confessions,  (he  being  the  only  priest 
among  forty  thousand  Christians,)  no  dispute  or 
litigation  arose  which  was  not  referred  to  his  arbi- 
tration ; and  as  these  instances  were  numerous,  he 
appointed  a fixed  hour  every  afternoon,  when, 
with  extreme  patience  and  charity,  he  listened  to 
the  arguments,  or  rather  to  the  complaints,  of  both 
parties,  and  then  decided  according  to  justice,  and 
restored  peace  between  a set  of  savages,  who 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  129 

without  this  interference  would  probably  have 
had  recourse  to  blows,  if  not  to  arms. 

There  was  no  sick  person  who  did  not  send  for 
him ; and  it  was  his  greatest  affliction  to  find  that 
where  there  were  so  many  sufferers  he  was  unable 
to  attend  upon  them  all.  Great  part  of  the  night 
was  spent  in  wandering  from  village  to  village  for 
the  comfort  and  service  of  the  sick,  even  encroach- 
ing upon  his  brief  three  hours’  repose  for  this  pur- 
pose. He  hastened  whithersoever  there  was  a 
birth  or  a death,  to  give  baptism  in  the  first  in- 
stance and  burial  in  the  second. 

This  will  give  some  idea  of  his  mode  of  life  and 
the  measure  of  his  labors  whilst  cultivating  the 
territory  of  Parava.  It  must,  however,  be  owned 
that  he  had  other  and  better  restoratives  than  that 
brief  repose  at  night  and  that  scanty  allowance  of 
food  which  he  took  by  day;  for  Almighty  God  sati- 
ated him  with  Himself,  and  filled  his  soul  with  such 
abundance  of  heavenly  delight  that  it  seemed  to 
him  as  if  he  dwelt,  not  amidst  toils  in  barbarous 
nations,  but  amidst  the  blessed  in  paradise, — inso- 
much that  he  often  besought  our  Lord  to  restrain 
his  arm  and  withhold  some  part  of  his  consolations, 
it  being  too  great  a torture  to  him  to  struggle 
against  the  love  of  a beauty  which  he  could  not 
see,  and  to  sip  a blessing  which  he  was  unable  to 
imbibe  in  draughts.  He  himself,  speaking  as  of 
another  person,  relating  in  a letter  to  the  fathei 
of  his  soul  (as  he  called  St.  Ignatius)  the  labor? 
undergone  in  the  conversion  of  the  Paravans, 
says,  “ I have  nothing  particular  to  say  about  this 
country,  excepting  that  the  consolations  which 
Almighty  God  imparts  to  those  who  endeavor  t< 

T 


130 


THE  LIFE  OF 


win  over  these  Gentoos  to  the  faith  are  so  great, 
that,  if  there  be  such  a thing  as  real  happiness  in 
this  life,  they  certainly  enjoy  it.  Often  have  I 
heard  a person  laboring  among  these  Christians 
falteringly  exclaim,  ‘ 0 Lord , give  me  not  such  great 
comfort  in  this  life ; or  if,  in  your  excess  of  infinite 
goodness  and  mercy,  you  will  thus  favor  me,  call  me  to 
your  heavenly  glory,  for  it  is  too  great  a torment  to  live 
any  longer  without  seeing  you.’  ” 

The  two  chief  means  which,  on  the  part  of  our 
holy  apostle,  mainly  contributed  to  the  conversion 
of  the  pagans  inhabiting  the  coast  of  Fishery,  were 
his  indefatigable  labors  and  the  example  of  his  life. 
We  may  add  a third,  namely,  the  gift  of  miracles, 
—miracles  so  stupendous  as  to  procure  for  him  the 
surname  of  the  man  of  heaven,  even  from  the  very 
pagans,  as  we  find  recorded  in  the  processes,  and 
which  were  sufficient  in  numbers  to  fill  a thick 
volume.  “It  would  seem,”  writes  Xavier  himself, 
“as  if  Almighty  God  sent  maladies  upon  these 
people  to  draw  them,  as  it  were,  in  spite  of  them- 
selves, to  the  knowledge  of  him,  and  that,  being 
cured  by  evident  miracle,  they  may  understand 
how  great  a difference  there  is  between  the  God 
of  the  Christians  and  the  pagods  of  the  Brahmins, 
whose  prayers  over  the  sick  prove  unavailing.” 
This  was  so  notorious  among  the  Paravans  that 
there  was  scarcely  a suffering  Gontoo  who  had  not 
recourse  to  the  saint,  both  for  his  cure  and  for 
baptism. 

As  we  have  already  remarked,  invalids  were  so 
numerous  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  visit 
them  all  himself.  Our  Lord,  however,  deigned  to 
multiply  his  miraculous  power,  by  imparting  it  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


131 


those  whom  he  commissioned  to  visit  the  sick  in 
his  name;  and  these  were  some  of  the  native  chil- 
dren, whom  he  had  baptized  and  so  well  instructed 
in  the  principles  of  the  faith  as  to  be  employed  as 
teachers,  probably  in  the  manner  of  our  catechists. 
To  some  of  these  the  saint  intrusted  his  rosary, 
his  crucifix,  his  reliquary,  or  some  other  object  of 
devotion,  and  then  dispersed  them  through  the 
neighboring  hamlets  where  there  happened  to  be 
any  invalids  calling  for  help.  In  order  that  the 
cure  of  one  might  contribute  to  the  conversion  of 
many  others,  he  commissioned  his  catechist,  on 
arriving  at  the  place  appointed,  to  assemble  the 
families  belonging  to  the  vicinity,  and  then  to 
recite  aloud  several  times  the  creed,  the  command- 
ments, and  whatever  else  they  had  learned  of  the 
Christian  doctrine,  and  to  ask  the  sick  whether  they 
sincerely  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  whether 
they  were  willing  to  be  baptized.  Upon  their 
answering  affirmatively,  the  reliquary,  or  the 
cross,  as  the  case  might  be,  was  applied  to  them, 
when  they  immediately  recovered,  and  afterward 
received  health  of  soul  at  the  hands  of  Xavier. 
Seldom  or  never  had  he  these  little  objects  of  de- 
votion in  his  own  possession,  his  catechists  retain- 
ing them  in  order  to  work  miracles  by  means  of 
them.  His  rosary,  which  he  had  previously  been 
accustomed  to  wear  round  his  neck,  was  in  special 
demand ; so  that  when  he  had  to  quit  one  village 
for  another  he  generally  had  to  hunt  up  his  rosary. 

On  one  occasion  he  was  surrounded  by  a vast 
multitude,  to  whom  he  was  giving  instructions, 
when  messengers  from  Manapar  arrived,  and,  in- 
terrupting him,  requested  he  would  accompany 


, 


132 


THE  LIFE  OF 


them  to  their  master  and  relieve  him  from  tLe 
tyranny  of  the  devil,  who  was  tormenting  him  in 
a frightful  manner.  But  Xavier,  who  disdained 
to  honor  the  devil  so  far  as  to  suspend  tho  profit- 
able task  in  which  he  was  actually  engaged  merely 
to  go  and  drive  away  so  contemptible  a foe,  very 
calmly  took  off  a small  cross  which  was  suspended 
at  his  breast,  and,  giving  it  to  some  of  his  dear 
little  ones,  bade  them  go  and  release  the  possessed 
man.  The  children  set  out  for  Manapar,  accom- 
panied by  many  other  persons,  anxious  to  witness 
the  result,  and,  on  their  arrival,  found  the  man  in 
a state  of  fury  and  howling  terrifically, — the  devil 
no  doubt  being  enraged  at  foreseeing  his  impend- 
ing discomfiture,  aggravated  by  the  contemptuous 
circumstance  of  being  expelled,  not  by  the  prayers 
and  presence  of  a great  saint,  but  at  the  bidding 
of  mere  children,  who  showed  how  confident  they 
were  of  being  able  to  accomplish  that  which  their 
holy  father  enjoined  ; for  whereas  at  that  tender 
age  they  would  naturally  be  terrified  at  such  a 
sight,  they  did  not  so  much  as  show  the  least  sign 
of  fear.  Advancing,  as  if  it  were  a dog  instead 
of  a devil  which  they  were  going  to  drive  away, 
they  boldly  grouped  themselves  round  the  frenzied 
man,  sung  the  usual  prayers,  and  then,  in  spite  of 
his  contortions  and  violent  reluctance,  compelled 
him  to  kiss  the  cross.  Nothing  more  was  needed: 
at  that  very  moment  the  fiend  was  expelled,  not 
only  from  this  man,  but  likewise  from  many  moro 
of  the  idolaters,  who,  when  they  saw  the  incon- 
testable power  of  the  cross,  were  converted  and 
requested  baptism.  This  victory  was  achieved  by 
the  hands  of  children.  But  the  following  wonder 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  133 

ful  cure  could  not  have  been  effected  without  his 
own  co-operation  : we  are  not  certain  whether  it 
occurred  at  Manapar,  or  farther  on  toward  Cape 
Comorin  ; but  we  may  safely  say  the  manner  of  the 
cure  could  scarcely  be  the  act  of  any  other  man 
than  a S.  Francis  Xavier,  whether  we  consider  the 
power  of  the  miracle,  or  the  miracle  of  virtue 
which  accompanied  it.  There  was  a poor  beggar, 
whom  poverty,  no  less  than  the  custom  of  the 
country,  caused  to  go  about  almost  naked,  and 
whose  body  was  covered  from  head  to  foot  with 
sores  and  scabs : his  filth  and  wounds  made  the 
mere  sight  of  him  absolutely  sickening.  One  day 
he  happened  to  meet  with  Xavier,  of  whom  he  pro- 
bably begged  an  alms:  however  this  may  be,  the 
charity  of  the  saint  urged  him  to  give  much  more 
than  he  was  asked;  for,  taking  the  man  aside,  he 
washed  him  thoroughly  with  his  own  hands,  and 
then,  by  a stretch  of  heroic  mortification,  he  was 
seen  by  two  inhabitants  of  Manapar,  who  were 
privately  watching  him,  and  who  were  deeply 
affected  by  the  sight, — he  was  seen,  1 say,  to  drink 
a considerable  quantity  of  the  filthy  water  in 
which  he  had  just  washed  the  leprous  mendicant; 
after  which  he  knelt  down  and  spent  some  time 
in  silent  prayer.  But  prayer  was  no  longer 
necessary  to  the  poor  man’s  cure,  which  had  been 
immediately  effected  by  the  merit  of  such  an  act 
of  virtue:  the  crusts  fell  from  all  the  wounds,  and 
the  wounds  themselves  were  perfectly  cured : the 
beggar  was  restored  to  full  health,  and  went  away 
blessing  God  and  exulting  in  the  name  of  Xavier. 
Nor  was  this  the  only  miracle  of  this  description; 
as  we  find  in  the  processes  that  he  frequently 
12 


134 


THE  LIFE  OF 


washed  ulcers  and  other  loathsome  wounds,  and 
afterward  drank  some  of  the  water,  whereupon 
the  sick  were  instantly  cured. 

Another  cure  cost  him  much  less,  though  the 
favor  itself  was  not  a small  one.  A courteous 
Indian  of  Punical,  who  always  gladly  received 
and  lodged  the  holy  man  when  he  passed  that 
way,  had  three  children,  all  girls;  but  he  was  most 
anxious  for  a son.  As  he  believed  Xavier  to  be  a 
saint,  he  ventured  to  beg  him  to  obtain  this  favor 
for  him.  The  father  encouraged  him  to  confide  in 
Goa,  using  words  indicative  of  no  slight  hope. 
The  Indian,  however,  was  not  satisfied  with  this: 
he  wished  for  a written  pledge, — for  instance,  the 
name  of  Francis  in  his  own  handwriting.  This 
he  willingly  gave,  remarking,  at  the  same  time, 
that  Almighty  God  would  undoubtedly  gratify 
him.  The  effect  verified  the  prediction  of  the 
saint,  and  surpassed  the  hopes  even  of  theTndian; 
for  in  due  time  he  became  the  father  of  as  many 
sons  as  he  already  was  of  daughters. 

These,  however,  were  not  the  most  illustrious  or 
the  most  surprising  miracles  with  which  our  Lord 
was  pleased  to  give  evidence  of,  and  to  honor,  the 
merits  of  his  saintly  apostle.  According  to  the 
acts  of  his  canonization,  we  read  that  he  restored 
many  dead  to  life  during  his  sojourn  on  the  coast 
of  Fishery,  though  unfortunately  few  minute  de- 
tails are  given  of  these  resuscitations  : the  power 
was  perhaps  conceded  to  him  in  reward  for  the 
many  thousands  of  souls  whom  he  preserved  from 
everlasting  death.  We  give  three  of  the  most  re* 
markrble  of  these  cases. 

lie  was  travelling  with  two  young  Indians, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  135 

named  Anthony  Miranda  and  Augustin  Pina,  who 
served  as  his  acolytes  and  catechists.  Night  over- 
took them  at  a place  called  Pandocal,  a hamlet 
situated  between  Tale  and  Manapar : the  two 
youths  retired  into  a hut  to  rest,  and  the  saint  into 
another,  that  he  might  pray  at  his  oase.  Venom- 
ous serpents  are  common  throughout  India:  few 
are  more  dangerous  than  the  hooded  serpent,  so 
called  from  a cartilaginous  skin  which  shades  the 
head : the  sting  of  this  reptile  is  so  poisonous,  and 
so  prompt  in  its  effect,  that  its  victim  seldom  sur- 
vives a couple  of  hours.  One  of  these  creatures 
had  its  nest  in  the  very  hut  where  our  two  unsus- 
pecting children  went  to  sleep,  and  bit  Anthony 
in  the  foot,  without  even  awakening  him.  It  wTas 
late  in  the  morning  before  Augustin  awoke,  who 
immediately  called  his  companion.  After  shaking 
him  and  receiving  no  answer,  he  soon  ascertained 
the  cause ) for,  on  raising  the  mat  where  they  had 
both  been  reposing,  the  serpent  sprang  forth. 
With  a cry  of  horror,  the  child  ran  off  to  the  saint, 
and,  with  sighs  and  tears,  related  what  had  hap- 
pened. Without  the  slightest  agitation  or  appear- 
ance of  surprise,  Xavier  smiled,  and  calmly  an- 
swered, “ Let  us  go  and  look  at  him.  Perchance 
he  may  not  be  dead.”  On  reaching  the  cabin,  he 
knelt  dowTn  by  the  side  of  the  dead  body,  fixed  his 
eyes  on  heaven,  and,  after  a short  prayer,  touched 
the  swollen  and  livid  foot  with  spittle,  blessed  him 
with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and,  taking  him  by  the 
hand,  said.  “ Anthony,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
arise!”  He  said  no  more,  nor  was  more  needed 
to  make  the  child  arise : he  immediately  stood 
up,  not  only  alive,  but  as  healthy  and  strong  as 


136 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ever  lie  was;  whereupon  they  all  three  resumed 
their  journey. 

The  second  resuscitation  occurred  at  a village  of 
the  same  coast,  called  Combutura.  Xavier  was  in 
the  little  church  there  dedicated  to  S.  Stephen, 
the  protomartyr:  he  was  vested,  just  ready  to 
celebrate  holy  mass,  when  all  at  once  loud  sounds 
of  lamentation  and  cries  of  desperation  disturbed 
the  solemn  silence  of  the  place.  He  inquired  the 
cause,  and  was  told  that  an  unhappy  mother,  ac- 
companied by  her  relatives,  was  bringing  her  son 
to  be  buried,  who  had  unfortunately  fallen  into  a 
well  and  been  drowned.  The  saint  was  moved  by 
compassion,  both  for  the  misfortune  of  the  son  and 
the  heart-rending  affliction  of  the  mother:  vested 
as  he  was,  he  went  forth  to  meet  and  comfort  her. 
No  sooner  did  she  set  eyes  upon  him,  than  a vague 
hope  arose  in  her  heart  that  possibly  he  might  be 
able  to  restore  her  child  : prostrating  herself  be- 
fore him,  she  repeatedly  kissed  his  feet,  and,  by 
tears  rather  than  by  words,  besought  him  to  resus- 
citate her  lost  loved  one,  telling  him  that  he  so 
easily  could,  if  he  had  but  the  will,  seeing  that 
Almighty  God  did  whatever  he  requested.  The 
surrounding  friends  joined  their  tears  and  en- 
treaties with  those  of  the  disconsolate  mother; 
nor  were  these  prayers  and  tears  fruitless.  The 
saint  knelt  down  and  recited  a short  praj’er 
then,  rising,  he  took  the  3’oung  man  by  the  hand, 
and  commanded  him,  as  he  had  done  the  other,  to 
arise  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  effect 
was  instantaneous ; the  dead  man  arose,  every 
one  exclaiming,  “A  miracle!  a miracle V*  Groans 
and  lamentations  gave  place  to  songs  of  gladness, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  137 

and  tears  of  grief  were  changed  into  tears  of 

joy. 

Greater  faith,  and  no  less  favor,  attended  two  of 
the  principal  inhabitants  of  Punicale.  A deadlj’- 
pestilence  was  raging  there,  during  which  most 
admirable  was  his  charity  in  visiting  and  his  faith 
in  curing  the  sick.  Notwithstanding  this,  a youth 
belonging  to  one  of  the  first  families  died  : he  was 
the  sole  hope  and  delight  of  both  his  parents,  who 
were  inconsolable  at  his  loss:  they  accused  them- 
selves of  being  his  murderers,  inasmuch  as  they 
had  neglected  applying  to  the  holy  father  in  time, 
as  so  many  others  had  done,  whose  friends  had  con- 
sequently been  spared.  Hope,  however,  revived 
in  their  hearts  as  they  reflected  that  he  could  as 
easily  restore  the  child  to  life  as  he  could  have 
cured  him  when  ill:  with  this  impression,  they 
themselves  raised  the  lifeless  body  of  their  son  in 
their  arms,  and  set  out  in  search  of  Xavier,  whom 
they  met,  and,  placing  the  corpse  before  him  at 
his  feet,  they  declared,  with  streaming  eyes  and 
bursting  hearts,  that  they  would  not  stir  from  the 
spot  until  he  restored  their  son  to  them  alive. 
Xavier’s  tender  soul  could  not  resist  such  a moving 
appeal;  and,  ascribing  his  power  to  the  merit  of 
their  lively  faith,  he  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven,  as 
usual,  prayed,  and  then,  merely  calling  the  de- 
ceased by  his  name,  he  restored  him  alive  and 
well  to  his  delighted  father  and  mother. 

These  are  the  only  three  resuscitations  at  the 
coast  of  Fishery  which  I undertake  to  detail,  be- 
cause I find  them  expressly  inserted  in  the  acts  of 
bis  canonization.  Another,  however,  ought  not 
to  be  entirely  passed  over,  though  the  circum- 
12* 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ld8 

stances  of  it  are  not  described.  A young  girl  of 
Bembar  was  restored  by  him  to  life ; and  (what 
turns  still  more  to  his  glory)  by  means  of  bis 
young  catechists,  whom  he  sent  about  to  cure  the 
sick  with  some  pious  object  belonging  to  him,  two 
other  dead  persons  were  raised  to  life  in  the  terri- 
tory of  Punicale,  as  we  read  in  the  Processes. 

The  fame  of  these  prodigies  spread  all  over 
India,  and  rendered  the  name  of  the  saint  illus- 
trious, at  the  same  time  that  they  gained  great 
veneration  and  respect  for  the  laws  of  Christ.  In 
Goa,  especially,  they  were  spoken  of  with  great 
joy  by  the  Portuguese;  and  when  Saint  Francis 
arrived  thither  on  his  return  from  Parava,  a cir- 
cumstance occurred  which  put  his  humility  to  a 
sad  trial.  His  friend  Doctor  Borba,  a famous  theo- 
logian and  preacher,  once  ventured,  in  familiar 
conversation,  to  ask  him  in  what  manner  he  had 
raised  the  dead  to  life  during  his  sojourn  on  the 
coast  of  Fishery.  The  question  was  like  a mortal 
wound  inflicted  on  the  modesty  of  the  holy  man 
he  cast  his  eyes  on  the  ground  in  confusion,  and 
blushed  in  such  a way  as  to  excite  compassion. 
Anxious,  however,  to  evade  another  blow,  he  ran 
and  embraced  his  friend,  saying,  with  a smile, 
u .Ah,  my  Jesus ! can  it  be  said  that  such  a wretch 
as  I have  been  able  to  raise  the  dead  ? Surely,  my 
dear  Diego,  you  have  not  believed  such  folly  ? 
They  brought  a young  man  to  me  whom  they  sup- 
posed to  be  dead  : I commanded  him  to  arise,  and 
the  common  people,  who  make  a miracle  of  every 
thing,  gave  out  the  report  that  a dead  man  had 
been  raised  to  life.”  A year  and  more  had  elapsed 
since  the  holy  father  had  begun  his  labors  amony 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  139 

the  Paravane,  and  as  yet  there  was  no  appearance 
of  Father  Paul  Camerino  and  Francis  Mansilla, 
whom  the  viceroy  Di  Soza  had  promised  to  seqd 
to  him  as  soon  as  they  arrived  from  Mozambique. 
Anxious  as  the  saint  was  to  carry  the  faith  into 
other  countries,  he  could  not,  however,  make  up 
his  mind  to  leave  the  Christians  of  Parava  unpro- 
vided with  a pastor.  He  resolved,  then,  on  return- 
ing to  Goa,  to  collect  workmen  to  whom  he  might 
intrust  this  portion  of  the  vineyard.  He  quitted 
the  Fishery  toward  the  end  of  the  year  1543,  and 
arrived  at  Goa  in  the  middle  of  the  following  Janu- 
ary, taking  with  him  several  promising  native 
youths  to  be  educated  in  the  new  seminary  there. 
He  was  received  with  extraordinary  rejoicings, 
and  found  his  two  companions,  who  had  already 
been  at  Goa  some  considerable  time,  having  been 
detained  by  the  viceroy  at  the  suggestion  of  some 
zealous  persons  who  were  unwilling  that  the  city 
of  Goa  should  be  deprived  of  their  valuable  ser- 
vices. For  the  same  reason,  the  saint  was  unable 
to  take  both  of  them  with  him  when  he  returned 
to  Parava : he  was  obliged  to  leave  Father  Came- 
rino to  preside  over  the  seminary  recently  es- 
tablished for  the  education  of  young  Indians  desr 
tined  for  the  Church,  and  who,  when  become 
priests  and  masters,  would  disperse  themselves  all 
through  the  East  and  materially  assist  in  propa- 
gating the  holy  gospel.  The  new  Seminary  was 
called  the  Seminar}^  of  the  Holy  Faith.  The  saint 
was  extremely  anxious  to  return  to  the  Fishery  j 
and,  having  despatched  as  speedily  as  possible  the 
business  which  he  had  to  transact  with  the  vice- 
roy the  bishop,  and  others,  he  again  set  out  foi 


140 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  coast  in  the  month  of  February.  All  the  as. 
eistance  which  he  was  able  to  collect  consisted  of 
Brother  Francis  Mq.nsilla,  not  yet  ordained,  John 
d’Ortiaga,  a native  of  Biscay,  and  two  Indian 
priests  belonging  to  Malabar,  who,  stimulated  by 
the  zeal  of  the  saint,  offered  to  accompany  him. 
With  these  he  arrived  at  the  Fishery,  and  without 
delay  set  to  work,  confirming  the  people  in  the 
faith,  and  teaching  his  companions,  bjT  his  own 
example,  how  best  to  cultivate  that  portion  of  the 
Lord’s  harvest.  Having  portioned  the  country 
between  them,  and  arranged  matters  in  the  best 
way  he  could,  he  at  last  tore  himself  away  from 
his  beloved  Paravans,  and,  alone  as  he  was,  pene- 
trated into  another  more  inland  country,  perfectly 
unknown  to  us  even  by  name.  His  mode  of  action 
there  would  likewise  have  remained  an  utter  se- 
cret to  us,  if  the  saint  himself  had  not  given  some 
little  idea  of  it  in  a letter  which  he  wrote  from 
there  to  Mansilla,  in  which  he  says,  “ You  may 
imagine  wffiat  sort  of  life  I lead  in  these  parts, 
when  I tell  you  that  I can  neither  speak  their  lan 
guage,  nor  they  mine,  and  that  I have  no  inter- 
preter to  assist  me.  All  that  I can  do  is,  to  go 
about  baptizing  children,  for  which  I myself  am 
sufficient,  and  offering  all  the  relief  I can  to  the 
poor  and  to  the  sick.  This  is  a language  which  is 
well  understood  without  the  assistance  of  inter- 
preters.” And  such  was  Xavier’s  constant  prac- 
tice in  every  place  the  language  of  which  he  was 
unacquainted  with.  He  discovered  and  availed 
himself  of  a much  better  language,  namely,  that 
of  charity;  by  means  of  which  he  gained  as  much 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


141 


respect  for  the  faith  as  any  words  could  have 
done. 

Among  savages,  whose  highest  humanity  would 
consist  only  in  the  absence  of  positive  inhumanity, 
no  better  law  of  mutual  charity  exists  than  that 
of  not  inflicting  injuries.  Admirable,  then,  must 
it  have  been  to  these  people  to  see  him,  a stranger, 
not  only  without  remuneration,  but  even  at  the 
cost  of  his  rest,  toils,  and  fatigue,  make  the  com- 
mon miseries  of  the  poor,  the  sick,  and  the  dead 
his  own,  eagerly  hastening  to  assist  them,  as  if  he 
were  the  servant  of  all,  or,  rather,  as  if  he  were  the 
tender  father  of  each  one  of  them.  But,  whatever 
may  have  been  the  country,  or  whatever  may  have 
been  the  fruit  he  gathered  there,  (and,  as  we  have 
already  said,  no  memoranda  of  this  epoch  have 
reached  us,)  he  was  unable  to  remain  any  great 
length  of  time  : an  unexpected  misfortune  obliged 
him  to  provide  for  the  deplorable  necessities  of 
the  Christians  of  the  Fishery. 

The  Badages  were  a set  of  freebooters  belong- 
ing to  the  kingdom  of  Bisnagar,  idolaters  in  reli- 
gion, most  ferocious  in  disposition,  living  by  plun- 
der, and  perpetually  at  strife,  either  among  them- 
selves or  with  their  neighbors;  and,  consequently, 
well  accustomed  to  war,  they  had  succeeded  in 
wresting  Pandi,  by  force  of  arms,  from  the  King 
of  Travancor,  and  had  rendered  themselves  for- 
midable and  intolerable  to  their  neighbors.  Now, 
these  men  hated  the  Christians  beyond  measure : 
this  motive,  seconding  their  hopes  of  carrying  off 
considerable  booty,  induced  them  to  assemble  in 
large  numbers  and  fall  suddenly  on  the  unsuspect- 
ing Paravans,  who,  thus  taken  by  surprise,  could 


142 


THE  LIFE  OF 


cot  even  collect  their  forces  to  act  on  the  defen- 
sive. Nothing  remained  for  them  but  to  save  their 
lives  as  best  they  could,  by  abandoning  their  coun- 
try, and,  taking  to  their  boats,  seeking  refuge  on 
certain  rocks  and  islets  situated  between  Cape  Co- 
morin and  Ceylon,  wholly  inaccessible,  except  in 
a very  calm  sea,  and  by  channels  unknown  to  all 
but  those  who  were  very  well  acquainted  with 
those  coasts.  Hither,  then,  did  they  flee  with 
their  wives  and  children,  the  Badages  in  the  mean 
time  overrunning  the  country,  carrying  destruc- 
tion everywhere. 

But  where  was  the  advantage  of  having  found 
security  on  rocks  where  not  so  much  as  a drop  of 
water  or  a blade  of  grass  could  be  found  ? Besides 
which,  they  were  without  shelter,  exposed  to  the 
burning  rays  of  the  sun;  so  that  they  literally 
wasted  away,  and  no  day  passed  without  some  of 
the  number  dying,  either  of  hunger,  thirst,  or  the 
intense  heat  of  the  atmosphere. 

The  ruthless  conduct  of  the  Badages,  the  exter- 
mination of  the  Christians,  and  the  misery  of  the 
survivors,  soon  became  generally  known.  A re- 
port of  it  all  reached  even  Xavier,  in  the  country; 
where,  as  we  have  said,  he  was  laboring  in  the  ser- 
vice, both  spiritual  and  corporal,  of  a people  whose 
very  language  was  unknown  to  him. 

The  deplorable  account  of  his  dear  Paravans  went 
like  a dagger  straight  to  his  heart,  and  he  at  once 
hastened  to  afford  relief.  Passing  rapidly  across  to 
the  western  coast,  he  appealed  to  the  charity  of  the 
Portuguese  in  behalf  of  the  persecuted  new  Chris- 
tians, beseeching  them  to  arm  twenty  boats  and 
load  them  with  provisions,  which  he  himself  would 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


143 


accompany  and  convey  to  the  poor  famished  beings 
who  were  perishing  on  the  rocks.  The  plan  was 
carried  out  exactly  according  to  his  wishes.  And 
moving  indeed  was  the  meeting  between  the  saint 
and  his  dear  children  : tears  fell  abundantly  on  all 
sides;  his,  at  seeing  them  reduced  to  such  a state 
of  misery ; theirs,  at  finding  themselves  rescued, 
as  it  were,  from  the  very  jaws  of  death,  and  in 
delight  to  meet  with  him  again. 

He  divided  what  he  had  brought  among  them, 
comforted  them  by  his  more  than  maternal  kind- 
ness, wept  with  them  over  their  respective  losses, 
— some  of  wives,  others  of  children,  and  all,  of  their 
poor  patrimony.  He  wrote  to  the  consuls  and 
Christians  of  another  district,  w^hich  had  been  left 
unmolested  by  the  Badages,  to  have  compassion 
on  their  brethren  of  the  Fishery.  He  likewise 
wrote  to  Mansilla,  who,  like  himself,  lived  on  alms, 
desiring  him  not  to  be  importunate  in  asking,  to 
accept  but  little  from  the  poor,  and  from  the  rich 
a little  more  w’hen  they  were  disposed  to  give.  So 
careful  wths  he  not  to  shock  these  souls,  as  yet  but 
young  in  the  faith,  or  not  to  give  them  the  idea 
that  they  must  pay  for  being  Christians  at  the  cost 
of  their  own  interests. 

Having  thus  satisfied  the  duties  of  piety  and 
compassion  towTard  the  children  whom  he  had  gene- 
rated to  Jesus  Christ,  his  mind  and  heart  again 
reverted  to  those  inland  countries  where  innume- 
rable tribes  of  pagans  had  never  heard  the  law  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  who  did  not  even  know  of  its 
existence. 

He  was  obliged,  however,  to  defer  the  realiza- 
tion of  his  wishes  in  this  respect,  ^«d  remain 


144 


THE  LIFE  OF 


as  he  was;  because  where  there  were  no  Portu- 
guese to  protect  the  new  converts,  the  idolaters 
and  Moors  around  them  made  war  upon  them, 
either  putting  them  to  death,  or  compelling  them 
to  become  renegades.  He  confined  himself,  there- 
fore, to  the  maritime  districts,  travelling  as  usual 
on  foot  in  the  direction  of  Travancor  along  the 
coast,  peopled  chiefly  by  fishermen  dwelling  ir 
good-sized  villages  dispersed  here  and  there. 

By  favor  of  the  Portuguese,  he  obtained  the 
King  of  Travancor’s  full  permission  to  preach  the 
gospel,  and  he  resumed  the  same  method  which  he 
had  found  succeed  so  well  at  the  Fishery.  The 
same  results,  or  even  greater,  attended  his  inde- 
fatigable zeal  and  charity;  for,  as  he  himself  states 
in  his  letter  from  thence,  sometimes  in  one  day  he 
has  poured  the  holy  water  of  baptism  on  all  the 
inhabitants  of  a large  and  populous  village.  And 
gratifying  indeed  was  it  to  Xavier  to  witness  the 
fervor  of  these  people,  who  no  sooner  were  made 
Christians,  than  they  seemed  to  vie  with  each 
other  in  their  eagerness  to  destroy  the  altars  and 
temples  of  the  idols,  dragging  the  idols  about  in 
the  most  contemptuous  manner,  to  the  shame  of 
the  devils  and  the  indignation  of  the  Brahmins. 
And  for  the  rest  we  cannot  do  better  than  tran- 
scribe the  account  given  by  a young  native  of  Co- 
imbra, a son  of  the  licentiate  John  Yaz.  As  this 
young  man  was  his  companion  during  six  months, 
he  was  an  eye-witness  of  the  following  details, 
which  he  related  on  his  return  to  Europe.  “ Father 
Xavier  always  went  bare-foot,  wearing  an  old 
faded  patched  habit,  with  an  old  black  cloth  hat, 
that  could  just  protect  his  head  from  the  sun’s 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


145 


ncorching  beams.  He  was  commonly  surnamed 
the  great  father ; the  king  publishing  a proclama- 
tion throughout  his  realms,  that  his  brother,  the 
great  father , was  to  be  obeyed  by  all  his  subjects 
like  another  himself , and  that  all  who  wished  it 
might  become  Christians.  The  king,  moreover^ 
made  him  large  offers  of  money,  or  any  thing  ha 
liked ; but  the  saint  would  accept  nothing  for  him- 
self, applying  whatever  he  received  to  the  relief 
of  the  starving,  naked  poor.  Along  this  part  of 
the  coast  he  founded  no  fewer  than  forty-five 
churches ; he  spoke  the  language  of  the  people 
fluently,  though  he  had  never  learned  it ; and,  as 
there  was  no  building  spacious  enough  to  contain 
the  vast  crowds  which  flocked  to  hear  him,  he 
would  sally  forth  into  a field,  followed  by  five  or 
six  thousand  people,  and,  climbing  up  into  a tree, 
preached  to  them  from  what  we  may  call  nature’s 
pulpit.  He  likewise  celebrated  holy  mass  in  the 
open  air,  raising  a canopy  composed  of  nothing 
better  than  the  sail  of  a ship  over  the  altar,  and 
making  the  whole  country  serve  as  his  church.  In 
a word,  as  for  his  mode  of  life,  and  as  for  his  works, 
they  were  the  astonishment  and  admiration  of 
every  one.” 

To  the  details  given  by  young  Yaz,  we  may  add 
the  testimony  of  others  no  less  trustworthy,  to  the 
effect  that  when  Xavier  entered  the  kingdom  of 
Travancor  he  found  it  entirely  idolatrous,  but 
when  he  left  it,  after  a few  months,  residence  in  it, 
he  left  it  entirely  Christian ; and  this  is  all  the 
more  surprising,  because  the  hatred  which  the 
natives  bore  to  Christianity  was  so  well  known, 
that  when  he  first  proposed  entering  these  states 
K 13 


146 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  Portuguese  endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from 
it,  as  being  an  utterly  useless  attempt.  We  may 
easily  conceive  the  rage  of  the  devil  at  seeing,  in 
so  brief  a space  and  by  one  single  man,  so  many 
souls  wrested  from  his  grasp,  whole  states  over 
which  he  had  ruled  undisturbed  for  ages;  and  he 
vented  his  spite  by  raising  a bitter  persecution 
against  the  saint,  even  inciting  some  of  the  savages 
to  attempt  his  life;  and  if  they  failed  in  their  ob- 
ject, at  least  their  malice  was  partly  gratified,  for 
one  of  their  arrows  wounded  him,  God  so  per- 
mitting. Though  his  life  was  too  necessary  for  the 
salvation  of  souls  for  Providence  to  permit  it  to 
be  sacrificed,  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  shedding 
some  of  his  blood,  as  a partial  indemnification  for 
the  non-accomplishment  of  his  ardent  desire  of 
dying  in  tortures,  as  the  martyr  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Xavier  suffered  much  less  from  his  own  wound 
than  from  the  apprehension  of  those  which  threat- 
ened his  spiritual  children,  much  more  dear  to  him 
than  his  own  life;  when  the  devil,  foiled  in  his 
attempts  against  the  person  of  the  saint,  turned 
his  weapons  upon  the  people  whom  he  converted, 
arousing  the  cupidity  and  vengeance  of  the  Ba- 
dages,  who  the  previous  year  had  made  such  sad 
havoc  among  the  Paravans. 

They  did  not,  however,  succeed  on  this  occasion: 
Xavier,  instead  of  being  at  a distance,  was  now  on 
the  spot,  and  he  himself  was  a host.  They  were 
furious  when  they  found  that  the  kingdom  of  Tra- 
vancor  had  embraced  the  law  of  Jesus  Christ;  and, 
rising  up  in  arms,  they  formed  a league  against 
the  converts,  and  openly  declared  war.  Having 
now  to  contend,  not  against  poor  fishermen,  as 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


147 


was  the  case  with  the  Paravans,  but  against  tole- 
rably well  trained  soldiers,  they  were  obliged  to  be 
more  wary  in  their  plans  : so,  raising  a large  army, 
and  placing  themselves  under  the  command  of  the 
naich  of  Madura,  they  marched  along  the  coast  of 
Comorin.  These  warlike  preparations  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  inhabitants  of  Travancor,  who 
were  much  alarmed,  more  especially  when  they 
found  that  the  villagers  of  the  frontiers  retreated 
to  the  interior  of  the  kingdom,  carrying  with  them 
all  their  movables.  The  king,  however,  made  the 
best  arrangements  he  could, — collected  his  troops, 
and,  heading  them  in  person,  went  forth  to  meet 
his  enemy.  That  the  battle  would  be  a sanguinary 
one  seemed  most  certain;  and  it  seemed  equally 
certain  that  victory  must  be  on  the  side  of  the 
Badages,  considering  their  overwhelming  numbers 
and  their  headlong  daring;  but  Xavier  warded  off 
all  danger,  and  himself  alone  secured  the  victory. 
The  cause  was  indeed  the  cause  of  God,  as  the 
event  showed.  The  holy  man  prostrated  himself 
on  the  ground,  and  with  prayers  and  tears  thus  ad- 
dressed himself  to  Heaven : — “ O Lord  God,  remem- 
ber thy  promises  to  assist,  support,  and  defend 
those  who  belong  unto  thee  : abandon  not  this  thy 
dear  little  flock  to  the  fury  of  the  wolves : let  not 
these  new  Christians,  still  young  in  the  faith,  still 
weak  in  virtue,  have  reason  to  regret  having  given 
themselves  to  thee,  seeing  that  they  are  exposed 
to  this  great  risk  only  because  they  belong  to 
thee : put  it  not  in  the  power  of  the  barbarians  to 
boast  that  they,  by  force  of  arms,  are  more  powerful 
than  the  faithful  of  Christ  protected  by  Heaven !” 
Having  thus  prayed,  he  arose,  and,  full  of  that 


14b 


THE  LIFE  OF 


superhuman  courage  which  God  infuses  into  the 
soul,  he  rushed  toward  the  declivity  of  the  hill, 
carried  forward  by  the  impetus  of  his  soul,  nor  did 
he  stop  till  he  came  in  front  of  the  Badages,  who 
were  steadily  advancing  in  fine  order  along  the 
valley.  He  stood  erect,  and,  with  a voice  of 
thunder,  and  with  flashing  eyes,  he  exclaimed, 
In  the  name  of  the  living  God,  I command  you 
to  return  from  whence  you  came!"  The  Almighty 
gave  such  efficacy  to  his  words  that  th'ey  struck 
terror  in  the  hearts  of  the  foe : the  men  stood 
motionless,  as  if  petrified,  gazing  on  him,  yet 
unable  to  advance  a step.  The  squadrons  in  the 
rear,  unconscious  of  what  had  occurred,  urged  the 
foremost  onward,  but  were  answered  that  they 
dared  not  proceed,  for  they  saw  a wonderful  and 
unknown  man  standing  in  front  of  them,  dressed 
in  black,  whose  terrific  aspect  was  something  more 
than  human,  whose  stature  was  gigantic,  and 
whose  flashing  countenance  bewildered  them  and 
completely  dazzled  their  eyes.  The  captains  of 
the  rear-guard  went  forward  to  satisfy  themselves 
of  the  truth  of  these  statements,  and,  beholding 
the  same  object,  returned  in  terror  to  their  troops; 
whereupon,  apparently  urged  by  some  hidden  im- 
pulse, the  whole  army  wheeled  round  and  fled  in 
dismay  to  their  own  country  of  Bisnagar. 

Xavier  had  been  followed  by  a few  of  his  friends, 
either  for  the  sake  of  bearing  him  company,  or 
from  curiosity  to  witness  the  result.  As  soon  as 
the  Badages  took  to  flight,  these  men  went  back 
to  meet  the  King  of  Travancor,  who  was  advanc- 
ing at  the  head  of  his  army,  and  immediately  told 
him  the  words  they  had  heard  Xavier  utter,  and 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


149 


the  wonderful  effect  which  they  had  produced 
Soon  afterward  the  saint  himself  made  his  appear* 
ance,  when  the  king  stepped  forth  to  meet  him, 
embraced  him  most  cordially,  and,  after  thanking 
him  most  gratefully  for  the  service  he  had  rendered 
him,  he  concluded  with  these  emphatic  words : — 
“I  am  called  the  great  king,  and  henceforth  you 
shall  be  called  the  great  father.”  To  the  humility 
of  Xavier  this  recompense  was  as  painful  as  the 
honor  was  great.  Although  the  king  acknow- 
ledged the  wonderful  power  which  dwelt  in  the 
holy  man,  never  could  he  be  made  to  believe  in 
its  first  Author, — God.  This  privileged  king  was 
never  won  over  to  the  faith.  But  though  this 
favor  was  unavailing  to  the  monarch  in  as  far  as 
his  own  soul  was  concerned,  it  proved  of  immense 
service  to  his  subjects,  who,  by  this  miraculous 
interposition  of  Heaven  in  their  favor,  were 
brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  im- 
mense numbers  of  pagans  demanding  baptism. 

This  was  by  no  means  the  only  instance  of  super- 
natural power  displayed  in  this  kingdom  by  the 
holy  man.  In  addition  to  the  miraculous  cures  of 
the  sick,  which  from  their  perpetual  recurrence 
were  now  looked  upon  as  ordinary  events,  he 
raised  four  dead  people  to  life,  two  women  and 
two  men.  Of  the  two  former  we  have  no  precise 
details  : the  facts,  but  not  their  circumstances,  are 
given  in  the  Acts  of  his  Canonization : the  two  lat- 
ter were  accompanied  by  very  remarkable  circum- 
stances. He  was  one  day  preaching  in  Covalan, 
where  he  converted  a few  people  and  had  raised  a 
church ) but  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  ad- 
hered obstinately  to  their  old  paganism.  Many, 
13* 


150 


THE  LIFE  OF 

however,  crowded  to  him  whenever  he  preached, 
admiring  the  sanctity  of  his  doctrine  and  the  recti- 
tude of  its  precepts,  which  they  owned  to  be  in 
conformity  with  the  light  of  reason  : further  than 
this  they  would  not  go.  Finding,  then,  that  dis- 
coursing to  them  of  God  was  merely  throwing 
words  to  the  winds,  he  changod  his  plan,  and  began 
to  speak  of  them  to  God : he  fixed  his  eyes  on 
heaven,  as  he  usually  did  when  he  prayed,  and 
with  a copious  flood  of  tears  he  besought  our  Lord 
to  send  down  a ray  of  his  light  to  dispel  the  blind- 
ness of  these  poor  creatures ; reminded  him  that 
he  held  the  hearts  of  men  in  his  hands,  and  that 
by  the  mere  act  of  his  will  he  could  soften  the 
hardest  and  bend  the  most  obstinate;  concluding 
in  these  words: — “Be  pleased  now,  on  this  day,  to 
give  this  glory  to  the  merits  of  thy  holy  name, 
and  award  this  recompense  to  the  blood  of  thy 
Son.  Soften  and  subdue  the  hearts  of  these 
people.” 

Thus  prayed  S.  Francis  Xavier;  and  his  prayer 
to  God  effected  more  than  all  his  arguments  could 
have  done.  Feeling  confident  that  he  was  heard, 
and  that  his  supplication  had  been  responded  to, 
he  turned  to  the  surrounding  crowd,  and,  with  a 
countenance  ana*  words  more  than  human,  said  to 
them,  “Since  you  will  not  yield  belief  to  God,  who 
speaks  to  you  by  my  mouth,  let  us  see  whether 
any  thing  will  be  sufficient  to  convince  you  of  the 
truth.  What  proof  will  satisfy?”  Then,  recol- 
lecting that  a dead  man  had  been  buried  the  day 
before,  he  added,  “Open  that  grave  for  me,  and 
bring  forth  the  corpse  which  you  there  deposited 
yesterday ; and  let  each  one  of  you  carefully  exa- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  i61 

mine  it,  to  satisfy  yourselves  that  the  man  is 
really  dead.”  There  could  be  no  doubt  upon  the 
subject,  for  the  body  was  already  beginning  to  pu- 
trefy, and  they  all  observed  it.  The  dead-band- 
ages peculiar  to  the  country  were  removed,  and 
the  spectators,  in  breathless  awe,  anxiously  await- 
ed the  result.  The  saint  knelt  down,  and  after  a 
short  prayer  arose : then,  looking  steadfastly  at 
the  dead  man,  he  solemnly  exclaimed,  “I  com- 
mand thee,  in  the  holy  name  of  God,  and  in  testi- 
mony of  the  truth  of  the  faith  which  I teach, 
arise  and  live.”  At  these  words,  the  deceased, 
awaking  as  if  (not  from  death,  but)  from  a gentle 
slumber,  rose  up  alive  and  vigorous.  Xavier  had 
no  occasion  to  say  another  word  : a miracle  so  stu- 
pendous was  the  most  powerful  of  all  sermons. 
One  loud  universal  shout  of  exultation  proclaimed, 
u Great  is  the  God  of  the  Christians,  and  true  is 
the  law  which  the  great  father  teaches.”  The  people 
now  strove  as  to  who  should  be  foremost  in  fling- 
ing themselves  at  his  feet,  offering  to  obey  him  in 
all  things ; nor  was  it  long  before  they  were  all 
baptized.  Not  only  the  inhabitants  of  this  parish, 
but  those  of  the  neighboring  districts,  when  they 
either  heard  of  the  resuscitation  or  saw  the  man 
who  had  been  thus  raised  to  life,  would  be  con- 
ducted to  the  saint  in  order  to  be  baptized. 

From  this  time  forward,  Xavier  was  generally 
believed  to  be  so  powerful  with  God,  that  to  ask 
him  for  any  miracle  whatever  seemed  to  them  no- 
thing more  than  asking  him  for  a word,  so  con- 
fidently did  they  believe  that  a word  from  him 
was  sufficient  to  cure  any  disease  or  restore  life  to 
the  dead.  It  was  attested  in  the  Processes  that  the 


152 


THE  LIFE  OF 


many  and  illustrious  miracles  wrought  in  the  king- 
dom of  Travancor,  both  before  and  after  his  death, 
were  the  most  trustworthy  and  the  most  glorious 
of  any  that  occurred  throughout  India;  and  the 
following  certainly  justifies  the  remark. 

A youth  belonging  to  one  of  the  first  families  of 
Muran,  a territory  situated  between  Cariapatan 
and  Alicale,  happened  to  die  of  pestilential  fever. 
Twenty-four  hours  after  his  death,  his  father,  mo- 
ther, and  a numerous  train  of  relatives  and  de- 
pendants, conveyed  the  body  to  the  grave  accord- 
ing to  the  custom  of  the  country.  On  the  road 
the  cortege  was  met  by  Xavier  himself,  Almighty 
God  so  willing  for  the  promotion  of  his  own  glory 
and  the  salvation  of  many  souls.  At  the  sight  of 
him  the  bereaved  parents  felt  that  Heaven  had 
sent  him  there  expressly  to  restore  their  child : 
he  was  instantly  surrounded;  tears  and  entreaties 
signified  their  hopes.  The  more  effectually  to  ex- 
cite his  compassion,  the  father  and  mother  placed 
the  body  of  their  child  before  him,  and,  in  accents 
of  deepest  grief,  besought  him  to  recall  the  inno- 
cent youth  to  life.  The  saint  could  not  resist  the 
appeal  made  by  their  faith  to  his  charity.  He 
prayed,  sprinkled  the  corpse  with  holy  water, 
loosened  the  winding-sheet,  made  the  sign  of  the 
cross  over  the  bier,  and,  taking  his  hand,  called 
upon  the  deceased  in  the  name  of  the  Lord;  where- 
upon he  arose  alive  and  well,  and  Xavier  presented 
him  to  his  happy  parents.  In  memory  of  this 
miracle  the  people  raised  a large  cross  on  the  spot, 
where  they  used  to  go  and  pray.  God,  in  con- 
sideration of  his  saintly  servant,  often  rewarded 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


153 


with  many  signal  miracles  many  of  those  who 
prayed  with  faith  before  this  cross. 

The  fame  of  these  stupendous  and  hitherto  un- 
heard-of wonders,  together  with  the  conversion  of 
so  many  idolatrous  people  to  the  faith,  circulated 
widely  throughout  the  vast  regions  of  India ; and 
the  God  of  Christians  was  now  held  in  veneration, 
whilst  Xavier  became  universally  esteemed.  It  was 
no  longer  necessary  for  him  to  go  in  quest  of  new 
kingdoms  to  subject  them  to  the  faith  of  Christ:  on 
the  contrary,  embassies  and  letters  were  sent  to 
him,  inviting  to  go  and  undertake  the  task  of  con- 
version. This  was  in  truth  inconceivably  gratifying 
to  our  holy  apostle;  but  the  consolation  was  met  by 
a corresponding  amount  of  distress.  Alone  as  he 
was,  he  could  not  possibly  attend  to  all  these  calls, 
his  presence  being  still  necessary  to  the  further 
consolidation  of  the  faith  of  the  new  converts. 

These  pressing  considerations  caused  him  to 
write  to  S.  Ignatius  at  Eome,  and  to  Father  Ko- 
driguez  in  Portugal,  urging  both  of  them  to  send 
fervent  laborers  to  cultivate  the  vast  vineyard  of 
the  Indies,  where,  as  he  said,  the  harvest  was  ripe, 
but  there  was  no  one  to  gather  it  in.  Xot  satis- 
fied with  this,  he  had  serious  thoughts  of  writing 
to  all  the  most  celebrated  universities  of  Europe, 
— in  fact,  he  did  write  to  the  Sorbonne  at  Paris, — 
inviting  those  learned  men  to  go  over  to  the  In- 
dies, and  there  win  precious  souls  to  Christ  and 
merit  to  themselves.  Moving  are  his  sentiments, 
as  conveyed  in  one  of  his  letters  to  S.  Ignatius : 
we  give  the  following  extract  from  it.  “Many  in 
these  parts  of  the  East  are  excluded  from  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  because  there  are  none  who 


154 


THE  LIFE  OF 


employ  themselves  in  the  holy  office  of  preaching 
it  to  them.  I often  wish  that  I could  transport 
myself  to  some  of  the  colleges  of  Europe,  es- 
pecially the  Sorbonne  of  Paris,  and  thus  cry  out 
aloud  to  the  students  who  would  be  willing  to  em- 
ploy their  talents  to  good  purpose: — Alas!  alas! 
how  many  souls  lose  heaven,  and  are  condemned  to 
hell , through  your  neglect!  Oh,  would  that  they  who 
study  so  hard  would  study  to  ascertain  the  ac- 
count they  will  have  to  render  to  God  of  talents 
misapplied ! would  that  they  would  use  due  means, 
and  make  the  Spiritual  Exercises,  the  better  to 
learn  the  will  of  God  in  their  regard,  instead  of 
swerving  from  it,  and  of  following  their  own  in- 
clinations ! then  might  they  say,  Lord,  here  I am: 
what  wouldst  thou  have  me  to  do  ? Send  me  whither 
thou  wilt, — even  to  the  Indies,  if  it  he  expedient  in 
thy  sight.  Then,  how  much  more  happily  would 
they  live,  and  how  much  more  reason  would  they 
have  to  hope  for  mercy  when  they  present  them- 
selves at  the  judgment-seat  of  God  ! because  they 
might  with  truth  say  to  him,  Lord,  thou  gavest  me 
five  talents:  behold  other  five  which  I have  gained 
over  and  above.  I fear  that  many  who  consume 
their  days  studying  in  the  universities  do  it  more 
with  the  view  of  obtaining  benefices,  dignities,  or 
a bishopric,  than  from  the  desire  of  living  con- 
formably to  the  ecclesiastical  state.  How  often 
do  young  aspirants  to  the  priesthood  protest  that 
they  only  seek  to  advance  in  learning  that  they 
may  the  sooner  secure  some  dignity  or  benefice, 
and  that  as  soon  as  they  have  obtained  it  they  will 
give  themselves  to  the  service  of  God ! In  reality 
cupidity  is  the  guide  which  they  follow;  and  inas- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  155 

much  as  they  fear  that  Almighty  God  should  not 
will  as  they  will,  and  that  his  good  pleasure  should 
not  agree  with  their  unruly  affections,  they  will 
not  consult  him  on  the  choice  of  their  state  of  life. 
I am  very  much  tempted  to  write  to  the  University 
of  Paris,  or  at  least  to  Dr.  Picardo,  and  to.  our 
Master  di  Cornibus,  and  tell  them  how  many  mil- 
lions of  these  idolaters  might  be  won  over  to  the 
faith  if  we  had  but  workmen  wrho  would  seek  the 
things  which  are  of  Christ , and  not  the  things  which 
are  theirs 

It  is  much  to  be  wished  that  the  letter  which  he 
sent  to  the  theologians  of  the  Sorbonne  could  be 
recovered.  In  it  he  invited  them  to  exchange 
Europe  for  India, — chairs,  professorships,  and 
sterile  disputations  for  the  apostolic  ministry  of 
preaching  the  faith  and  guiding  souls  to  salva- 
tion. Much  as  this  letter  has  been  sought  for, 
hitherto  it  has  not  been  found  : that  it  was  un- 
doubtedly written,  we  have  the  positive  evidence 
of  Don  John  Derada,  councillor  and  supreme  au- 
ditor of  the  kingdom  of  Navarre,  who  affirms  that 
he  saw  it,  and  took  a copy  of  it  at  the  time  he 
was  studying  philosophy  in  Paris.  He  adds  that 
he  was  delighted  with  its  truly  apostolic  spirit, 
and  that  several  members,  as  well  as  himself,  took 
a copy  of  it. 

Of  the  many  various  states  which,  as  we  have 
already  remarked,  sent  to  ask  Xavier  to  go  and 
impart  the  light  of  the  gospel  to  them,  none  is  sc 
deserving  of  remembrance,  none  so  deserving  of 
praise,  and,  as  we  may  say,  of  a holy  envy,  as  the 
Manarese,  who  proved  themselves  the  beautiful 
models  and  masters  of  patience  and  heroic  forti- 


156 


THE  LIFE  OF 


tilde  to  the  whole  of  that  new  Eastern  Church 
With  them  the  receptiou  of  baptism  and  the 
shedding  of  their  blood,  their  birth  unto  Christ 
and  their  death  for  Christ,  went  hand  in  hand. 
So  rapidly  did  the  fruit  ripen  of  which  God  had 
blessed  the  seed,  that  they  who  yesterday  were 
idolaters  and  to-day  Christians  would  to-morrow 
be  martyrs. 

Manar  is  a small  island,  about  forty  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, situated  just  above  the  rocks  of  Re- 
manancor : it  has  a good  port,  called  in  their  own 
language  Tele  Manar,  where  merchants  resort  for 
commercial  purposes.  The  soil  in  general  is  poor 
Between  it  and  Ceylon  there  are  about  twelve 
miles  of  dangerous  sea,  where  the  fury  of  the  cur- 
rents arrested  by  the  rocks  of  Remanancor  occa- 
sions the  wreck  of  many  an  unwary  crew  on  the 
shores  of  Jafanatapan.  Widely  different  from  and 
far  more  favored  than  Manar  is  its  neighbor  Cey- 
lon, or,  as  the  natives  call  it,  Ternasseri, — that  is 
to  say,  the  Land  of  delights.  If  we  may  trust  the 
opinion  of  the  Cingalese,  their  island  is  the  origi- 
nal terrestrial  paradise : in  support  of  their  belief 
they  still  show,  on  the  summit  of  a high  and 
almost  inaccessible  rock,  the  impression  of  two 
gigantic  human  feet,  left  there,  as  they  affirm,  by 
Adam.  Without  subscribing  to  the  whole  of  their 
tradition,  we  may  safely  allow  their  country  to 
be  called  the  paradise  of  the  East;  an  unclouded 
sky,  with  two  summers  and  two  springs;  an  atmo- 
sphere so  pure  and  salubrious  that  the  natives  live 
to  extreme  old  age  : indeed,  decrepitude  seems  to 
be  their  only  malad}7.  Their  trees  are  ever  green, 
and  whilst  the  fruit  ripens  on  one  side  new  blossoms 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  157 

are  budding  forth  on  the  other.  The  soil  s luxu- 
riant and  requires  but  little  cultivation ; there  are 
mines  of  metals  and  precious  stones;  valuable 
woods  and  spices ; the  finest  of  pearls  abound  on 
its  coasts,  and,  in  a word,  all  that  can  gratify  the 
senses  of  men  is  to  be  found  in  this  favored  island. 
Yet,  in  the  midst  of  all  these  advantages,  there 
was,  at  the  time  of  which  we  treat,  one  plague- 
spot  sufficient  to  ruin  all, — namely,  the  infamous 
habits  of  the  people,  barbarous  and  uncivilized, 
who  lived  surrounded  by  the  blessings  of  Almighty 
God,  without  the  slightest  knowledge  of  God,  until 
the  fame  of  the  sanctity  and  stupendous  miracles 
of  the  new  apostle  S.  Francis  Xavier,  spreading 
through  the  two  coasts  of  Travancor  and  the 
Fishery,  excited  the  desire  in  other  kingdoms  of 
beholding  so  wonderful  a man,  and  of  hearing  the 
new  doctrines  which  he  preached. 

But,  before  Ceylon  made  this  request,  the  natives 
of  Manar  had  sent  ambassadors  to  the  holy  man, 
entreating  him  to  go  and  baptize  them.  As  he 
was  then  actually  engaged  in  the  conversion  of  the 
kingdom  of  Travancor,  he  could  not  forsake  his 
new  church  : so,  in  place  of  going  himself,  he  sent 
one  of  the  two  priests  who  had  accompanied  him 
from  Goa;  and  Almighty  God  was  pleased  to 
crown  his  labors  with  such  success  that  in  a very 
short  time  he  instructed  and  baptized  vast  num- 
bers of  the  islanders.  In  those  days  Manar  was 
dependent  on  the  crown  of  Jafanatapan,  the  king 
of  which  was  a cruel  man, — in  fact,  a compound 
of  vice  and  barbarity,  the  tyrant  rather  than  the 
sovereign  of  his  people.  By  force  of  arms  he  had 
dispossessed  his  elder  brother;  he  despoiled  and 
14 


158 


THE  LIFE  OF 


slew  the  most  illustrious  of  his  subjects,  lest  they 
might  raise  the  people  in  defence  of  their  lawful 
prince;  but,  above  all,  he  was  the  implacable 
enemy  of  the  very  name  of  Christ,  although  he 
simulated  friendship  for  the  Portuguese  from  fear 
of  their  power  and  arms. 

When  this  man  heard  of  the  conversion  of  the 
Manarese,  he  swore  not  to  leave  one  of  them  alive. 
He  collected  his  troops,  and  stealthily  crossed  over 
to  Manar,  condemning  all  those  innocent  victims 
to  the  sword,  by  way  of  striking  terror  into  other 
states.  The  order  was  executed  with  as  much 
cruelty  as  it  was  given  : without  distinction  of  age, 
sex,  or  rank,  men,  women,  youth,  and  infancy, — 
in  a word,  whoever  had  received  baptism, — were 
ruthlessly  slaughtered.  Admirable  indeed  were 
the  effects  of  the  grace  of  baptism.  As  each  one, 
in  turn,  was  asked  whether  he  or  she  were  Chris- 
tian, whereas  a negative  answer  would  at  once 
have  placed  their  lives  in  safety,  so  generous  were 
these  neophytes  that,  far  from  having  recourse  to 
subterfuge,  they  boldly  confessed  the  faith,  fathers 
and  mothers  answering  for  their  little  ones,  to 
whom  age  had  as  yet  denied  the  power  of  speech. 
Between  six  and  seven  hundred  were  slain  on  the 
occasion.  The  place  of  their  martyrdom,  called 
Pasim,  deserved  a more  noble  name;  and,  accord- 
ingly, from  this  date  it  has  been  called  the  land  of 
martyrs. 

Notwithstanding  all  his  cruelties,  the  barbarous 
king  did  not  succeed  in  extinguishing  Christianity: 
it  took  root,  not  only  in  his  kingdom,  but  even  in 
his  own  family.  His  eldest  son,  powerfully  touched 
by  God,  turned  his  heart  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  and 


SAI^T  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  159 

iound  means  of  gaining  instruction  from  a Portu- 
guese merchant  who  frequented  the  court  for  com- 
mercial purposes.  The  affair,  unfortunately,  was 
not  carried  on  so  secretly  but  that  the  king  had 
some  hint  given  him  which  awakened  his  sus- 
picious, whereupon,  without  a spark  of  humanity, 
he  ordered  the  young  prince  to  be  put  to  death,, 
and  his  body  to  be  thrown  into  a field  and  there 
left  to  be  devoured  by  beasts  of  prey;  but  the 
merchant  who  had  been  his  master  in  the  faith, 
and  who  now  looked  upon  him  as  a martyr,  buried 
him  privately  in  the  night.  Moreover,  our  Lord 
would  not  suffer  his  virtue  to  be  thus  overlooked, 
nor  his  merits  to  be  left  without  some  honorable 
testimony,  nor  that  the  precious  seed  of  his  blood 
should  be  unfruitful  in  the  soil  where  it  had  been 
shed ; for  on  the  morning  following  his  interment, 
a cross,  extending  the  whole  length  of  his  body, 
was  found  sculptured  in  the  earth  which  covered 
his  remains:  the  sculpture  was  of  exquisite  work- 
manship, as  if  wrought  by  angel  hands;  and,  in- 
deed, this  was  generally  and  firmly  believed  to  be 
the  case.  No  sooner  was  it  seen  than  it  excited 
the  astonishment  of  the  people.  To  silence  their 
remarks,  the  king’s  partisans  caused  the  cross  to 
be  erased,  and  the  earth  over  the  grave  to  be 
levelled : the  same  mysterious  cross  was  again 
visible  on  the  second  morning,  and  again  was  it 
obliterated : in  fine,  a third  morning  was  the  pro- 
digy repeated,  with  the  same  result.  And  yet  the 
savages  did  not  gain  their  point : the  cross,  thus 
insulted  and  expunged  from  the  earth,  next  showed 
itself  in  the  heavens,  assuming  the  color  of  fire,  and 
surrounded  by  rays  as  awful  as  they  were  magnifi- 


160 


THE  LIFE  OF 


cent.  The  spectacle  produced  strange  effects  in 
the  minds  of  those  who  beheld  it,  great  numbers 
of  whom  embraced  the  Christian  faith,  making 
public  profession  of  it  even  at  the  hazard  of  their 
lives ; and  they  soon  received  a recompense  equal 
to  their  deserts  and  a crown  worthy  of  their  gene- 
rosity, the  tyrant  making  sad  havoc  among  them, 
killing  as  many  as  fell  into  his  hands,  and  thus 
truly  causing  the  cross  of  Christ  to  triumph  in  the 
heavens,  these  souls  being  far  more  resplendent 
than  the  rays  even  which  surrounded  it  when  it 
was  made  visible  to  them. 

The  king  had  a sister,  a woman  of  strong  mind, 
and,  for  that  country,  well  educated.  It  is  not 
certainly  known  whether  she  was  secretly  a Chris- 
tian: at  all  events,  she  would  have  two  of  the 
young  princes  to  be  brought  up  Christians:  one  of 
them  was  her  own  son,  and  the  other  her  nephew, 
brother  to  the  martyred  youth.  Grace  seems  to 
have  so  well  dictated  her  arguments  with  them 
that  in  a very  short  time  they  were  sufficiently 
instructed  to  receive  baptism.  It  now  became 
necessary  to  place  these  princes  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  king’s  cruelty;  for,  were  his  suspicions 
aroused  either  in  her  regard  or  theirs,  they  would 
meet  with  no  more  mercy  than  the  rest  of  the 
Christians.  As  for  herself,  she  cared  not  a straw, 
seeing  that  she  neither  wished  to  live  nor  feared 
to  die  : all  her  solicitude  and  affection  were  directed 
to  the  preservation  of  the  princes,  and  Providence 
inspired  her  with  a plan  which  proved  successful. 
She  privately  summoned  the  Portuguese  merchant 
already  alluded  to,  and  made  arrangements  with 
him  for  arming  and  equipping  a small  vessel,  by 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  161 

means  of  which  he  could  convey  the  pri  ices  to 
Goa,  where  they  would  be  thoroughly  instructed 
in  the  faith ; after  which  it  was  hoped  that  com- 
passion and  a sense  of  justice  would  induce  the 
Portuguese  to  restore  the  lawful  prince  to  the 
throne. 

The  merchant  managed  the  affair  so  adroitly 
that  he  conveyed  the  royal  youths  safely  from  the 
island,  and  took  them  direct  to  S.  Francis  Xavier, 
in  the  states  of  Travancor.  The  holy  father  wept 
with  joy  as  he  embraced  them,  rendering  earnest 
thanks  to  God  for  winning  over  such  noble  spoils 
from  the  very  household  of  his  enemy.  He  con- 
firmed them  in  the  faith,  gave  them  most  salutary 
instructions,  together  with  letters  of  recommenda- 
tion and  introduction  to  the  authorities  of  Goa, 
and  to  the  fathers  at  the  Seminary  of  Holy  Faith, 
warmly  urging  the  Governor  of  the  Indies  to  see 
that  they  had  no  reason  to  repent  having  aban- 
doned their  family  and  country  for  the  sake  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

As  soon  as  their  flight  was  discovered,  the  king 
was  absolutely  mad  with  rage ; and  fearful  would 
have  been  the  consequences,  had  not  his  dread  of 
the  Portuguese  counteracted  in  some  degree  his 
hatred  of  Christianity.  Fearing  lest  the  brother 
vhom  he  had  dethroned  should  follow  the  example 
of  his  nephews  and  place  himself  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Christians,  he  resolved  on  his  imme- 
diate death,  and  accordingly  sent  emissaries  in  all 
directions  in  pursuit  of  him,  with  positive  orders 
to  kill  him  on  the  spot.  In  spite  of  all  their  vigi- 
lance, the  ex-king  effected  his  escape,  though  with 
great  difficulty,  and  at  length  reached  the  Portu* 
L 14'* 


162 


THE  LIFE  OF 


guese  territories.  He  was  followed  by  the  first 
officer  of  war,  and  by  ten  of  the  most  distinguished 
native  nobles,  who,  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  his 
faith,  forsook  wives,  children,  country,  and  pos- 
sessions. After  a fatiguing  and  perilous  journey 
of  two  hundred  leagues,  theyT  arrived  at  Goa,  where 
they  were  received  with  public  rejoicings,  and 
where,  after  being  duly  instructed  by  the  fathers 
of  the  Society,  they  were  solemnly  baptized. 
The  deposed  prince,  moreover,  took  an  oath  that, 
in  the  event  of  his  being  restored  to  his  kingdom, 
it  should  not  only  be  made  Christian,  but  likewise 
tributary  to  the  crown  of  Portugal. 

All  this  served  as  a fresh  stimulus  to  the  heart 
of  Xavier,  ever  anxious  to  open  the  door  of  new 
kingdoms  to  the  faith,  especially  of  a kingdom 
whose  inhabitants  so  generously  died  for  the  faith 
almost  before  they  understood  it : what,  then, 
would  be  their  perfection  in  it  when  once  they 
should  be  thoroughly  instructed  in  its  beauties  and 
excellence?  Besides,  if  the  injustice  and  malice 
of  the  King  of  Jafanatapan  were  left  unpunished, 
other  idolatrous  kings  would  be  thus  encouraged 
in  their  cruelties  against  their  Christian  subjects: 
it  seemed  to  him  a matter  of  absolute  necessity 
that  the  kingdom  should  be  wrested  from  a bar- 
barian who  possessed  it  unjustly  and  who  ruled  it 
still  more  unjustly.  How,  to  accomplish  this, 
recourse  must  be  had  to  the  arms  of  the  Portu- 
guese, and  to  the  religious  principles  of  the  go- 
vernor, who  at  this  time  happened  to  be  at  Cam- 
baia.  Xavier  made  up  his  mind;  and,  though  it 
was  at  a wrong  season,  he  set  sail  toward  Cambaia, 
having  first  summoned  from  the  Fishery  Fathei 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER  16S 

Francis  Mansilla,  now  ordained  priest,  whom  he 
left  in  his  place  to  watch  over  the  infant  church  of 
Travancor.  The  saint  reached  Cochin  on  the  16th 
of  December,  1544. 

Almighty  God  afforded  him  the  consolation  of 
here  meeting  with  Michael  Yaz,  the  vicar-general, 
to  whom  he  unfolded  the  secrets  of  his  heart,  tell- 
ing him  that  he  had  undertaken  this  long  journey 
in  hopes  of  inducing  the  viceroy  to  chastise  the 
injustice  and  cruelties  of  the  King  of  Jafanatapan, 
and  also  to  remonstrate  against  that  which  pierced 
his  heart  like  a dagger,  namely^  the  shameless 
conduct  of  the  Portuguese  officials;  for  whereas 
the  idolatrous  princes  by  their  persecutions  formed 
martyrs,  the  others  by  their  scandals  formed 
apostates.  He  could  not  endure  the  extortions 
practised  on  the  coast  of  the  Fishery,  where  fre- 
quently Christian  slaves  were  sold  to  pagan  mas- 
ters, with  evident  risk  of  losing  their  religion. 
Saracens  were  everywhere  placed  in  charges  of 
trust  and  emolument.  Moreover,  in  Goa  itself  the 
worship  of  the  pagods  was  openly  tolerated,  and 
the  insolence  of  the  Brahmins  left  unchecked. 
No  endeavor  was  made  to  hinder  the  King  of 
Cochin,  dependent  on  the  crown  of  Portugal,  from 
confiscating  the  property  of  such  of  his  subjects  as 
embraced  Christianity.  In  conclusion,  Xavier  said 
that  he  often  thought  of  returning  to  Portugal,  in 
order  to  lay  these  grievances  before  the  king, 
feeling  convinced  that  his  piety  would  induce  him 
to  afford  redress;  that  he  was  not  deterred  by  any 
dread  of  the  voyage,  but  that,  having  maturely 
weighed  all  circumstances,  he  thought  it  was  mere 
to  the  glory  of  God  that  he  should  not  abandon 


164 


THE  LIFE  OF 


so  many  souls,  which  our  Lord  himself  had  con- 
signed to  his  care.  The  holy  father  spoke  with 
such  fervor  of  soul,  that  the  vicar,  without  being 
expressly  asked,  offered  himself  to  the  under- 
taking, and  actually  set  sail  the  month  following, 
carrying  with  him  letters  to  the  king,  and  to 
Father  Rodriguez,  from  the  saint. 

On  his  arrival  in  Europe,  he  so  well  knew  how 
to  plead  the  cause  of  God  that  he  obtained  all 
that  he  wished  from  the  king,  who  charged  him 
with  many  useful  regulations  drawn  up  in  due 
form,  with  which  he  joyfully  re-embarked,  and 
landed  at  Goa  toward  the  end  of  the  year  1546. 
He  presented  the  royal  decrees,  which  were  read 
in  council,  apparently  with  great  respect;  but 
whether  it  were  that  the  difficulties  of  the  time 
prevented,  or  that  the  avarice  of  some  of  the 
ministers  covered  their  own  private  interests  with 
the  name  of  the  public  good,  we  know  not:  cer- 
tain it  is,  however,  the  useful  decrees  of  his  Majesty 
were  not  carried  into  effect,  excepting  in  a few 
immaterial  instances. 

Xavier,  however,  did  induce  the  governor  to 
send  a fleet  against  the  iniquitous  King  of  Jafana- 
tapan.  Di  Soza  sent  letters  to  the  captains  in 
command  of  the  coasts,  ordering  them  to  assemble 
all  their  troops  and  meet  together  in  Nagapatan, 
from  whence  they  should  fall  on  the  King  of  «Ja- 
fanatapan,  and  either  slay  him,  or  else  capture 
him  alive  and  place  him  in  the  hands  of  Father 
Francis,  who  was  to  be  the  arbitrator  of  his  life  or 
death.  Well  satisfied  with  this  promise,  the  saint 
returned  to  Cochin,  there  to  labor  in  the  service 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  165 

of  souls,  whilst  the  fleet  was  preparing  itself  for 
battle. 

In  his  return  he  took  the  road  through  Cananor, 
where  he  was  hospitably  welcomed  and  lodged  by 
a worthy  Christian,  whom  he  remunerated  with 
something  much  better  than  money.  The  worthy 
host  was  much  grieved  by  the  conduct  of  one  of 
his  sons,  a headstrong,  vicious  youth,  of  whom, 
with  many  tears,  he  made  heavy  complaints  to 
the  saint.  Xavier  tried  to  console  him  by  telling 
him  that  probably  the  failings  were  but  the  fail- 
ings of  youth,  and  would  disappear  as  age  ad- 
vanced. Having  said  thus  much,  he  began  to 
pray,  and,  recollecting  himself  in  God,  he  fixed 
his  eyes  on  heaven  and  his  face  became  brilliant 
and  beaming.  After  a brief  interval  he  took  his 
friend  by  the  hand,  saying,  in  a tone  of  extraor- 
dinary cheerfulness,  “Be  comforted,  for  you  are  one 
of  the  happiest  fathers  in  the  world:  this  boy,  who 
now  gives  you  so  much  uneasiness,  will  change  his 
life  and  conduct : he  will  be  a religious  of  the  order 
of  St.  Francis,  and  will  become  famous  both  for 
learning  and  sanctity.”  Every  word  of  this  pre- 
diction was  literally  verified : the  young  man  put 
on  the  habit  of  St.  Francis,  and  was  called  Brother 
Luke,  was  distinguished  in  literature,  led  a holy 
life,  and  finally  was  martyred  by  the  savages  as  he 
was  preaching  the  faith  in  the  island  of  Ceylon. 

After  resting  here  for  a few  days,  he  set  sail  for 
Cochin,  where  he  happened  to  meet  with  Cosmo 
Annez,  whom  he  used  to  call  his  great  and  sincere 
friend.  As  is  customary  between  familiar  acquaint- 
ances, he  spoke  to  Cosmo  of  his  aflairs,  and  in- 
quired whether  the  expedition  of  the  last  year  had 


166 


THE  LIFE  OF 


been  prosperous : the  other  answered  in  the  aftirma 
tive  and  gave  him  an  account  of  the  cargo,  filling 
seven  ships,  which  had  been  sent  over  to  Europe, — 
a cargo  of  considerable  importance,  comprising 
pepper  and  other  more  valuable  spices.  “ More* 
over,”  added  Cosmo,  “I  have  forwarded  a very- 
valuable  diamond  to  the  king : it  cost  me  ten 
thousand  ducats  in  Goa,  and  will  be  worth  at 
least  twenty-five  thousand  in  Portugal.”  When 
he  heard  of  this  expensive  jewel,  Xavier  was  sur- 
prised, and  inquired  which  of  the  seven  vessels 
carried  it.  “The  Attochia ,”  replied  Cosmo:  “I 
was  anxious  to  place  it  in  the  safe-keeping  of 
Don  John  Xorogno,  who  commands  that  ship.” 
“Well,”  said  Xavier,  “that  is  precisely  the  ship 
to  which  I should  have  been  least  willing  to  in- 
trust such  a jewel : it  would  have  gone  safer  in 
any  other.”  The  tone  in  which  this  was  said 
rather  dismayed  Cosmo,  who  exclaimed,  “What, 
father ! but  perhaps  you  speak  thus  because  the 
Attochia  once  sprang  a leak  ? Since  then  she  has 
been  thoroughly  repaired,  and  I am  assured  she  is 
as  good  as  new.”  “This  is  not  my  reason,”  re- 
joined the  saint;  but  he  said  no  more.  His  friend, 
however,  felt  pretty  certain  that  he  knew  more 
than  his  words  expressed,  and,  becoming  seriously 
apprehensive,  he  besought  him  to  interest  himself 
in  the  safety  of  an  article  which  was  of  great  con- 
sequence to  his  friend,  entreating  him  to  pray  that 
Almighty  God  might  grant  a prosperous  voyage  to 
the  said  ship,  the  loss  of  which  would  ruin  him  irre- 
trievably; because  he  had  purchased  the  diamond 
entirely  at  his  own  risk,  without  any  commission 
from  the  king,  but  presuming  that  it  would  be 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


167 


agreeable  to  his  Majesty:  consequently,  if  the 
jewel  was  lost,  he  alone  would  be  the  sufferer. 
God,  however,  did  not  reveal  the  danger  of  this 
vessel  to  his  servant  merely  that  he  might  be  able 
to  alarm  his  friend,  but  rather  to  grant  its  preser- 
vation to  the  merit  of  his  prayers,  without  which 
it  would  in  all  probability  have  been  lost. 

A few  days  later,  as  the  two  friends  were  again 
seated  together  at  table,  Cosmo  reverted  to  his 
diamond,  about  which  he  was  evidently  very  un 
easy.  Xavier  could  not  bear  to  see  him  thus  de- 
jected, so  at  once  said  to  him,  “Return  thanks  to 
God : your  diamond  is  safe  in  the  hands  of  the 
Queen  of  Portugal.”  On  the  return  of  the  vessels 
from  Europe  to  India,  Cosmo  learned  the  full  ex- 
tent of  the  danger  which  had  caused  his  alarm 
and  the  prediction  of  the  saint.  When  the  Atto- 
chia  was  about  midway  in  her  voyage,  an  aperturo 
appeared,  which,  under  actual  circumstances,  it 
was  utterly  impossible  for  them  to  close,  and  the 
water  entered  more  rapidly  than  the  pump  could 
clear  it  out.  With  nothing  but  the  prospect  of 
drowning  before  them,  the  crew  were  often  on  the 
point  of  urging  her  upon  a rock  and  there  aban- 
doning her  to  her  fate,  this  being  the  only  chance 
of  saving  their  own  lives.  But  other  counsels 
finally  prevailed : the  main-mast  was  cut  away, 
whereupon  the  aperture  closed,  no  one  knew  how, 
and  the  vessel,  with  her  two  lesser  sails,  followed 
the  others  and  reached  Lisbon  in  safety. 

Xavier  remained  in  Cochin  till  toward  the  end 
of  May,  then,  calling  for  Father  Man  sill  a,  set  sail 
with  him  for  Ceylon,  intending  to  go  from  there 
to  Nagapatan,  where  the  Portuguese  fleet  was  now 


168 


THE  LIFE  OF 


nearly  equipped.  Few  details  of  this  voyage  have 
reached  us.  The  following,  however,  is  well 
worthy  of  notice.  He  ingratiated  himself  with 
the  pilot,  a man  of  very  dissolute  life,  who  seemed 
to  care  for  nothing  but  the  gratification  of  his 
senses.  The  saint  soon  perceived  the  deplorable 
state  of  his  soul,  and  accordingly  began  to  seek 
his  acquaintance,  discoursing  only  on  nautical  sub- 
jects, charts,  the  winds,  the  constellations,  and  so 
forth.  By  degrees  the  pilot  began  to  speak  of  the 
state  of  his  conscience,  and  said  that  he  would 
make  his  confession  as  soon  as  they  arrived  at 
Ceylon.  Xavier  accepted  the  promise;  but  no 
sooner  did  the  ship  enter  port  than  the  pilot  gave 
up  all  thought  of  confession,  and  used  his  best  en- 
deavors to  avoid  meeting  the  father.  Nevertheless, 
Almighty  God  waylaid  him,  as  we  may  say,  and 
so  disposed  that  he  should  unexpectedly  come  in 
contact  with  the  saint,  who  was  walking  alone 
on  the  sea-shore.  The  sight  of  him  annoyed  the 
pilot,  who  blushed  in  confusion  : however,  as  he 
could  not  escape,  and  hardly  knew  how  to  excuse 
himself,  he  tried  to  look  as  much  at  ease  as  he 
could,  and  said,  “Well,  well,  Father  Francis,  when 
will  you  hear  my  confession  ?”  At  this  question 
the  saint  smiled,  and  answered,  “When  will  I hear 
you?  Why,  now,  at  this  very  moment,  walking 
as  we  now  are  here  on  the  beach. ” As  he  said 
this  he  made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  the  pilot 
did  the  same,  and  began,  just  as  a matter  of  form, 
to  narrate  a few  of  his  sins,  without  any  indication 
of  true  sorrow.  Not  to  intimidate  him,  the  saint 
let  him  go  on  his  own  way ; but  the  grace  of  God 
in  the  mean  time  was  working  in  him,  and  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


169 


pemtent  was  softening  by  degrees.  Perceiving 
this,  the  holy  confessor  led  him  slowly  in  the  direc 
tion  of  a small  chapel  in  the  neighborhood,  which 
they  entered ; and  as  the  pilot  showed  some  reluc 
tance  on  the  score  of  kneeling,  to  which  he  saui 
he  was  unaccustomed,  the  saint,  so  far  from  show- 
ing annoyance  at  this  weakness,  reached  a stool 
and  hid  him  be  seated.  At  length,  overcome  by  the 
paternal  admonitions  of  the  saint,  the  now  peni- 
tent pilot  prostrated  on  the  ground,  striking  his 
breast,  weeping  and  sighing  bitterly.  He  began 
his  confession  anew,  in  very  different  dispositions : 
it  lasted  several  days;  after  which  he  entered 
upon  a life  of  great  perfection,  and  persevered  in 
it  till  death. 

After  this,  our  zealous  apostle  passed  over  to  an 
islet  in  the  vicinity  of  the  sand-banks  of  Ceylon, 
where  he  rained  to  life  the  young  son  of  a Saracen; 
but  the  Processes  merely  state  the  fact,  without 
detailing  the  circumstances.  As  the  auditors  of 
the  Roman  rota  justly  remark,  the  immense  dis- 
tance of  the  place,  with  the  then  existing  difficul- 
ties of  navigation,  have  deprived  us  of  many  most 
interesting  details  of  the  heroic  actions  of  our 
saint ; though  from  the  very  remnants,  as  we  may 
| call  them,  which  have  reached  us,  we  may  infer 
the  vast  dimensions  of  this  colossal  structure, 
raised  by  the  right  hand  of  the  Most  High. 

Xavier  next  visited  the  isle  of  Manar,  where  he 
reverently  kissed  the  soil  which  had  been  saturated 
, with  the  blood  of  so  many  glorious  champions  of 
the  faith.  Our  Lord  had  prepared  an  unexpected 
harvest  for  him  here.  The  country  was  just  then 
afflicted  with  a severe  pestilence,  which  ph ed 
!» 


170 


T II  E LIFE  OF 


off  more  than  a hundred  victims  in  a day.  Ho 
sooner  did  the  saint  arrive  than  the  people  as- 
sembled, to  the  number  of  three  thousand,  the 
greater  part  of  them  pagans,  and  earnestly  be- 
sought him  to  have  compassion  on  them.  Deeply 
affected  at  their  distress,  the  saint  asked  for  three 
days,  and,  retiring,  he  prayed  fervently  for  the 
desired  favor.  At  the  end  of  three  days,  as  his 
prayer  ceased,  so  likewise  did  the  pestilence  cease: 
not  another  case  proved  fatal,  and  those  who  were 
already  attacked  recovered.  This  evident  miracle 
opened  their  eyes  to  the  truth  : nearly  all  of  them 
requested  baptism;  and,  after  duly  instructing 
them,  the  saint  poured  the  saving  water  on  them 
with  his  own  hands.  He  would  willingly  have 
remained  here  much  longer,  the  better  to  confirm 
the  people  in  the  faith,  had  he  not  deemed  it  more 
expedient  to  repair  to  Hagapatan  and  urge  on  the 
Portuguese  fleet,  then  nearly  ready  to  set  sail.  To 
his  extreme  regret,  he  found  that  an  unexpected 
event  had  quite  changed  the  aspect  of  affairs.  A 
merchantman  returning  from  Pegu  had  struck  on 
the  coast  of  Jafanatapan  and  been  plundered  by 
the  tyrant:  the  merchants,  fearing  that  a declara- 
tion of  war  would  at  once  destroy  all  chance  of 
recovering  any  of  their  property,  made  such  strong 
representations  that  the  officers  stopped  the  move- 
n cmC,  which  finally  was  utterly  abandoned,  as  is 
fcftnn  Vfm  case  when  great  enterprises  are  trifled 
Vi  n and  deferred.  ^?ut  our  Lord  would  not  per- 
mit that  an  affair  so  conducive  to  his  glory,  and 
so  ardently  desired  by  the  saint,  should  be  entirely 
forgotten.  Fifteen  years  later,  Don  Constantine  di 
Braganza,  Viceroy  of  the  Indies,  defeated  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  171 

barbarous  king,  wrested  Manar  from  his  iron  rule, 
and  subjected  it  to  the  crown  of  Portugal.  We 
ought  not  silently  to  pass  over  an  act  of  great 
generosity  displayed  by  the  pious  viceroy  on  this 
occasion.  Among  the  spoils  of  Jafanatapan  which 
fell  into  his  possession  was  the  famous  tooth  of  the 
white  monkey,  so  renowned  throughout  the  East 
for  the  mysterious  fables  connected  with  it.  The 
King  of  Pegu  reverenced  it  so  highly  that  he  an- 
nually sent  an  embassy  to  worship  it  in  his  name ; 
and  he  now  offered  to  ransom  it  at  the  price  of 
three  hundred  thousand  scudi,  in  addition  to  many 
other  valuables  sufficient  to  raise  the  amount  to  a 
million.  But  the  Christian  noble,  who  prized  the 
honor  of  God  more  than  all  the  gold  in  the  world, 
took  the  superstitious  tooth  in  his  hand,  and,  in 
presence  of  the  royal  council,  threw  it  into  a 
bronze  mortar,  where  he  reduced  it  to  powder, 
and,  casting  the  whole  of  it  into  a light  brazier, 
offered  it  as  a sweet-smelling  odor  to  Almighty 
God. 

Despairing  now  of  any  enterprise  against  Jafa- 
natapan, the  saint,  being  perplexed  with  many 
doubts,  resolved  on  visiting  Meliapore,  to  consult 
the  holy  apostle  St.  Thomas,  who  is  there  held  in 
special  veneration.  He  embarked  on  Palm-Sunday, 
which  in  the  year  1545  fell  on  the  29th  of  March. 
They  had  proceeded  about  twelve  leagues,  when 
in  the  night  following  this  Sunday  such  a dread- 
ful storm  arose  as  to  compel  the  pilot  to  tack  about 
and  run  inland  under  shelter  of  some  hills,  and 
there  await  a more  favorable  wind.  They  were 
detained  here  for  a whole  week,  during  which,  ac- 
cording to  the  juridical  testimony  of  Diego  Madeira 


THE  LIFE  OF 


*72 

and  others,  the  saint  neither  ate  nor  drank,  using 
no  other  restorative  than  the  celestial  delights  of 
prayer.  On  holy  Saturday,  at  the  earnest  entreaty 
of  Madeiro,  he  drank  a little  water,  in  which,  at 
his  own  request,  an  onion  had  been  boiled.  On 
this  day,  too,  the  weather  became  propitious,  a 
fine  breeze  had  sprung  up,  and  they  resumed  their 
voyage.  They  had  still  about  a hundred  miles 
before  them,  a favorable  wind  and  serene  sky, 
when  Xavier,  whose  foreseeing  eye  penetrated  be- 
yond the  present,  called  Madeiro,  and  asked  him 
whether  the  ship  was  in  a condition  to  withstand 
a storm;  to  which  the  other  answered  No;  for  that, 
in  addition  to  being  old,  she  was  otherwise  un- 
safe. “ In  that  case,”  rejoined  the  saint,  “ change 
the  sails,  and  let  us  return  to  port.”  “What! 
with  such  a calm  sea  and  favorable  wind  ? What 
are  you  afraid  of,  Father  Francis?”  exclaimed 
Madeiro : “ a boat  would  be  in  safety  here,  and 
much  more  a vessel  like  this.”  Notwithstanding 
all  the  saint  could  urge,  neither  he  nor  the  rest 
of  the  crew  would  be  persuaded  : they  declared  it 
would  be  folly  to  lose  so  favorable  a season.  But 
they  soon  had  to  repent  of  their  obstinacy  and  in- 
credulity. A sudden  whirlwind  arose,  followed  by 
such  a tempest  that  their  miserable  craft,  unable 
to  make  way,  was  actually  driven  back  to  Nagn- 
patan.  The  saint  remained  here  for  some  time  $ 
and  then  set  out  for  Meliapore  by  land,  travelling, 
as  usual,  on  foot. 

' Meliapore  more  commonly  goes  by  the  name  of 
St.  Thomas,  because  it  was  here  that  he  dwelt,  that 
he  collected  followers,  and  that  he  was  martyred. 
It  is  true,  according  to  the  traditions  of  the  country. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  173 

that  the  ancient  Meliapore  has  long  since  disap. 
peared,  having  been  destroyed  by  the  gradual  en- 
croachments  of  the  sea, — in  confirmation  of  which 
opinion  the  natives  point  out  certain  places  where, 
under  water,  are  the  remains  of  immense  edifices 
The  fishermen  even  distinguish  and  name  some  ot 
the  towers,  courts,  the  king’s  palace,  &c.  The 
present  city,  begun  by  the  peasantry  on  a small 
scale,  and  afterward  materially  enlarged  by  the 
Portuguese,  contains  within  its  precincts  a small 
chapel,  thirteen  palms  square,  built  of  hard  wood, 
and,  as  is  said,  by  St.  Thomas  himself.  On  the 
left  side  of  it  is  a miniature  altar,  under  which  the 
body  of  the  glorious  apostle  is  believed  to  be  de- 
posited. Not  far  from  the  city  is  a hill  called  the 
little  mount , where  there  is  a cave,  or  small  grotto, 
in  which  the  saint  concealed  himself  during  the 
persecution.  At  the  entrance,  which  is  extremely 
narrow,  is  a cross  carved  in  gray  stone,  at  the  foot 
of  which  is  a fountain,  miraculously  produced  by 
the  apostle.  Its  source  never  dries,  and  many  who 
drink  of  the  water  are  cured  of  their  infirmities. 
From  this  little  mount  rises  another,  much  larger, 
well  suited  to  purposes  of  quiet  contemplation, 
having  on  one  side  of  it  a fine  grove  of  evergreens, 
whilst  the  other  side  overlooks  the  sea.  Hither 
St.  Thomas  and  his  disciples  used  to  come  and 
pray;  and  here  he  is  believed  to  have  received  the 
lance-wound  of  which  he  died.  On  the  summit  of 
the  hill  the  Portuguese  found  an  oratory  in  ruins, 
which,  in  reverence  to  the  memory  of  the  saint, 
they  determined  to  rebuild.  As  they  were  clear- 
ing  away  for  the  foundations,  they  met  with  a thin 
iquare  stone  with  the  figure  of  a cross  engraven 
15* 


174 


THE  LIFE  OF 


in  it,  of  a somewhat  peculiar  form,  but  precisely 
similar  to  other  crosses  which  are  well  known,  and 
which  are  ascribed  to  the  workmanship  of  St. 
Thomas.  Above  the  cross,  also  sculptured  in  the 
stone,  was  the  figure  of  a dove  with  wings  ex- 
tended, the  whole  surrounded  by  an  inscription  in 
such  ancient  characters  as  to  be  unintelligible  ex- 
cepting to  one  single  Brahmin,  who  was  a great 
antiquary.  The  inscription  as  interpreted  by  this 
Brahmin  was  to  the  following  effect.  “Thomas, 
the  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  was  by  him  sent  hither, 
to  preach  his  holy  law.  Here  did  he  collect  dis- 
ciples, and  here  he  was  martyred.”  Moreover,  it 
was  believed  that  he  expired  on  this  very  stone; 
for  several  stains  of  blood  were  found  upon  it. 
When  the  Portuguese  completed  the  oratory,  they 
placed  this  stone  upon  the  altar ; and  when  mass 
was  celebrated  there,  on  the  18th  of  December,  it 
was  observed  (though  not  every  year)  that,  when 
the  Gospel  was  being  read,  smoke  arose  from  this 
stone,  enveloping  the  altar  as  in  a dense  cloud, 
which,  when  dispersed,  left  it  covered  with  large 
drops  of  liquid,  produced  by  the  condensation  of 
this  miraculous  vapor. 

When  Xavier  arrived  at  Meliapore,  God  was 
pleased  to  provide  him  with  a lodging  just  suited 
to  his  wishes.  Gasper  Coeglio,  the  vicar,  received 
him  into  his  own  house,  close  to  the  church  of  St. 
Thomas,  from  which  it  was  only  separated  by  a 
small  garden;  so  that  the  saint  could  have  free 
access  there  by  daj7  and  night,  and  could  pray,  and 
recommend  to  St.  Thomas  the  solution  of  his  doubts 
with  regard  to  proceeding  to  the  isle  of  Macasser, 
or  Celebes,  as  it  was  frequently  called.  But  there 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


175 


were  two  drawbacks  to  the  pleasure  of  this  ar- 
rangement. In  the  first  place,  either  with  a view 
to  do  him  honor,  or  from  want  of  room,  Xaviei 
found  himself  lodged  in  the  same  chamber  with 
his  host, — which  was  rather  a hinderance  to  the 
unrestrained  accomplishment  of  his  pious  designs, 
for  he  felt  himself  obliged  to  wait  till  the  vicar 
was  fast  asleep  before  he  sallied  forth  to  the  church. 
The  other  would  have  been  of  far  more  import  to 
any  one  less  courageous  than  Xavier.  During  the 
night  the  devils  rendered  themselves  visible,  as- 
suming most  hideous  forms,  and  choosing  for  the 
scene  of  their  exploits  the  little  garden  between 
the  church  and  the  priest’s  house.  The  conse- 
quence was,  no  one  ventured  to  cross  it  after  night- 
fall. But  he,  besides  being  naturally  resolute,  well 
knew  that  the  devils  had  no  more  power  against 
him  than  Almighty  God  was  pleased  to  permit;  so 
he  had  no  notion  of  desisting  from  his  purpose  on 
their  account,  and  went  to  spend  his  nights  in 
prayer  there,  with  as  much  composure  as  if  the 
place  had  not  been  liable  to  their  interruptions. 
His  sang-froid  was  excessively  mortifying  to  the 
pride  of  the  fiends,  who  could  not  endure  that  one 
single  man  should  dare  to  do  what  combined 
numbers  fearfully  avoided;  and  their  provocation 
was  aggravated  by  the  knowledge  of  the  fact  that 
this  same  man  had  wrested  from  their  grasp  souls 
by  the  thousand.  Seeing  him  now,  as  it  were,  in 
their  power,  they  determined  to  greet  him  in  their 
own  fashion.  One  night,  as  he  was  kneeling  in 
prayer  before  an  image  of  our  Blessed  Lady,  much 
; revered  there  by  the  people,  the  devils  fell  upon 
him,  beating  him  so  unmercifully  that  his  wounds 


176 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  bruises  actually  confined  him  to  his  bed  for 
two  days.  His  sufferings  were  intense,  nor  could 
he  so  much  as  stand  on  his  feet.  He  did  not  say  a 
word  of  what  had  happened  to  the  vicar;  but  the 
circumstance  was  divulged  by  a young  Malabarese, 
who  slept  in  a room  adjoining  the  church,  and  whc 
was  awakened  by  a loud  noise.  He  arose,  and, 
following  the  direction  of  the  sounds,  was  terrified 
by  the  violence  of  the  blows,  as  well  as  by  the 
groans  of  the  saint,  whom  he  could  distinctly  hear 
invoking  the  assistance  of  the  great  mother  of 
God.  The  young  man  related  the  whole  affair  tc 
the  vicar,  who  afterward  in  jest  sometimes  re- 
minded Xavier  of  his  own  words  used  on  thip 
occasion.  No  sooner  had  he  recovered  his  strength 
than  he  returned,  as  usual,  to  spend  his  nighte 
praying  in  the  church;  but  from  thenceforward, 
rabid  as  the  devils  were,  they  never  again  ven- 
tured  to  do  more  than  make  a great  noise  around 
him,  less  with  a hope  of  terrifying  him  than  with 
the  intention  of  distracting  his  mind  and  of  with- 
drawing it  from  God.  Once,  however,  they  changed 
their  style,  and  sang  matins  in  choir  so  correctly 
that  he  really  was  deceived,  and  on  the  following 
morning  asked  the  vicar  what  priests  those  were 
who  had  been  singing  matins  at  such  an  unusual 
hour  of  the  night.  The  answer  satisfied  him  as  to 
where  the  choristers  must  have  come  from. 

The  graces  which  Almighty  God  here  bestowed 
on  the  soul  of  his  servant  abundantly  indemnified 
him  for  the  outrages  he  received  from  his  enemy. 
The  things  which  passed  between  God  and  himself, 
in  the  silence  of  the  night,  have  been  concealed 
from  our  knowledge  by  the  humility  of  the  saint, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER  I// 

but  we  do  know  that  he  was  fully  satisfied  with 
regard  to  the  main  object  for  which  he  had  under- 
taken this  long  journey;  for  at  the  shrine  of  the 
holy  apostle  he  was  assured  that  it  was  the  will 
of  God  he  should  extend  his  labors  in  the  conver- 
sion of  souls  among  the  islands  farther  to  the 
south  ; and  this  conviction  was  so  forcible,  and  at 
the  same  time  so  encouraging  to  his  soul,  that  he 
would  unhesitatingly  have  risked  his  life  in  the 
undertaking.  It  was  delightful  to  hear  him  speak 
on  the  subject.  For  the  edification  of  our  readers 
we  will  transcribe  part  of  a letter  which  he  wrote 
about  this  time  to  his  two  friends  at  Goa,  Father 
Paul  di  Camerino  and  Doctor  Borga : — “ I hope 
Almighty  God  will  bestow  great  favors  on  me  in 
this  voyage;  because,  to  my  great  satisfaction  and 
joy  of  soul,  he  has  been  pleased  to  assure  me  that 
it  is  his  holy  will  that  I should  repair  to  that  por- 
tion of  the  Celebes  where  Christianity  has  recently 
been  introduced.  And  I am  so  firmly  resolved  on 
i accomplishing  that  which  our  Lord  has  signified 
to  me,  that,  were  I to  do  otherwise,  it  would  seem 
to  me  that  I was  contravening  his  express  orders, 
whereby  I should  render  myself  unworthy  of  his 
favors  both  in  this  life  and  the  next.  If  I meet 
with  no  Portuguese  vessel  sailing  for  Malacca  this 
year,  I will  embark  on  some  Moorish  or  pagan  ship : 
indeed,  such  is  my  confidence  in  God,  for  whose 
love  I undertake  the  journey,  that,  if  I can  meet 
with  nothing  better  than  a skiff  crossing  over  to 
Malacca,  I will  resolutely  risk  being  drowned  in  it. 
All  my  hope,  and  all  my  confidence,  is  in  God : I 
entreat  of  you,  for  his  love,  to  remember  in  your 
continual  prayers  me,  a sinner.” 

M 


178 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Although  during  his  residence  in  the  city  of  St. 
Thomas  Xavier  devoted  so  much  of  his  time  to 
prayer, — the  ordinary  restorative  of  the  saints 
after  their  fatiguing  exertions  for  the  benefit  of 
souls, — he  was  not  unmindful  of  the  necessities  of 
his  neighbor,  to  whom  he  dedicated  the  day,  re- 
serving the  night  for  God  and  himself.  Credible 
eye-witnesses  relate  the  miraculous  conversions 
which  he  here  effected  even  among  the  most  ob- 
durate of  sinners. 

He  preached  with  such  vehemence  of  soul  as 
might  be  expected  in  a man  filled  with  the  Spirit 
of  God  and  accustomed  to  the  light  of  eternal 
truths, — a man  whose  life  added  such  weight  to 
his  words  that,  even  when  silent,  the  mere  sight 
of  him  was  sufficient  to  touch  the  sinner’s  heart. 
Experience,  and  the  unhappy  lot  of  several,  taught 
that  those  who  pertinaciously  resisted  the  chari- 
table admonitions  of  the  saint  usually  came  to  an 
untimely  end;  and  this  excited  such  a salutary 
fear  that,  rather  than  risk  realizing  the  truth  of 
the  opinion,  many  changed  their  course  of  life, 
whilst  those  who  did  otherwise  were  looked  upon 
as  already  in  a state  of  desperation.  Public  scan- 
dals were  removed;  unjustly-possessed  slaves  were 
surrendered;  discords  and  enmities  were  appeased; 
usurious  contracts  were  broken;  and,  in  fine,  he  did 
such  great  things  during  his  brief  sojourn  here  that 
he  left  the  place  the  very  reverse  of  what  he  had 
found  it.  The  saint  went  away  so  perfectly  satis- 
fied that  he  implored  a thousand  blessings  upon  it, 
and  said  that  in  all  the  Indies  he  knew  no  better 
soil  than  that  of  Meliapore,  as  in  the  same  way  he 
afterward  said  of  Malacca  that  he  knew  no  worse: 


FRANUi*  Xi.  *,  I ER 


179 


ft  Ain  L 


hencs  he  prophesied  the  increase  of  the  one.  and 
the  destruction  of  the  other.  A few  years  verified 
the  twofold  prediction. 

There  was  a rich  and  noble  cavalier  living  in 
Meliapore,  so  completely  abandoned  to  an  unlawful 
passion  as  actually  to  glory  in  his  guilt.  In  order 
to  gain  his  soul,  Xavier  first  strove  to  gain  his 
friendship,  and  succeeded.  One  day  he  called  un- 
expectedly at  the  young  man’s  house  at  about  his 
dinner-hour;  and,  although  the  holy  man  only 
relished  that  diet  which  our  Lord  alluded  to  when 
he  said,  “ My  food  is  to  do  the  will  of  Him  who 
sent  me,  and  to  accomplish  his  works,”  he  civilly 
feigned  being  compelled  by  poverty  to  appeal  to 
the  charity  of  his  friends  for  a meal.  The  cavalier 
felt  himself  honored  by  the  visit  of  so  wonderful  a 
man,  and  gladly  welcomed  him  : his  only  concern 
was  that  the  saint  should  be  the  eye-witness  of  his 
scandals,  for,  being  taken  unawares,  he  had  no 
means  of  removing  many  disreputable  objects,  and 
accordingly  expected  some  severe  reprehension. 
But  he  was  mistaken : the  saint  took  his  seat  at 
table,  ate  promiscuously  of  whatever  was  offered 
him,  praised  the  delicacy  of  the  viands,  and  seemed 
to  enjoy  himself  amazingly,  took  no  notice  of  the 
indecorous  paintings  and  other  objectionable  ob- 
jects, and  even  appeared  unconscious  of  the  cha- 
racter of  the  female  who  was  at  table,  and  who 
was  the  guilty  companion  of  his  host:  he  addressed 
her  as  if  she  were  his  lawful  wife;  his  conversation 
was  animated  and  agreeable;  he  referred  not  to 
the  chastisements  of  God,  the  abominations  of  vice, 
or  the  beauty  of  virtue;  not  a word  escaped  that 
co ild  lead  the  guilty  pair  to  suppose  he  was  aware 


180 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  the  real  nature  of  their  connection;  and  he  took 
his  leave,  after  returning  a thousand  thanks  to  his 
courteous  host.  The  cavalier  was  utterly  bewil- 
dered when  he  repassed  in  his  mind  the  conduct  of 
the  holy  man:  he  repeatedly  asked  himself,  “Can 
it  be  possible  that  a man  so  abstemious  should 
come  here  in  search  of  delicacies?  Even  if  such 
had  been  the  case,  he  might  have  gone  to  the 
houses  of  many  Portuguese,  where  his  virginal 
modesty  would  not  have  been  pained,  as  it  must 
have  been  here.  Can  he  be  the  only  one  in  the 
place  ignorant  of  my  immoralities,  so  notorious 
and  scandalous  ? How  can  his  zeal  have  tolerated 
so  much?  How  can  he  have  been  so  affable? 
how  can  he  have  preserved  so  serene  a counte- 
nance ?”  The  truth  at  last  flashed  upon  his  mind; 
the  refined  charity  of  the  saint  became  evident  to 
him;  and,  deeply  affected,  he  rushed  from  his  house 
in  search  of  the  saint,  whom,  with  bitter  tears,  he 
besought  to  take  charge  of  his  soul.  He,  who 
bad  not  approached  the  tribunal  of  peM  vice  for 
fifteen  years,  now  made  a general  confession ; after 
which,  comforted  and  encouraged  by  the  holy  man, 
he  entered  upon,  and  persevered  in,  an  entirely 
new  course  of  life. 

Neither  was  the  holy  father  backward  in  reliev- 
ing the  corporal  and  temporal  necessities  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Meliapore. 

There  was  a noble  young  lady  suffering  from  a 
violent  fever,  which  deprived  her  of  her  senses, 
and  which  had  already  reduced  her  to  her  agony. 
Her  disconsolate  mother  happened  to  see  the  man 
of  God  pass  by  the  window,  and,  a beam  of  hope 
springing  up  in  her  heart,  she  called  him,  and 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


181 


pegged  he  would  come  and  bless  her  dying  child. 
He  entered,  and  at  his  first  glance  at  the  sufferer 
he  consoled  the  surrounding  friends,  desiring  them 
not  to  weep,  because  the  young  lady  would  cer- 
tainly rally.  Advancing  to  the  bedside,  he  recited 
the  gospel  over  her,  and  made  the  sign  of  the 
cross, — whereupon  she  immediately  rose  up,  per- 
fectly cured. 

A great  friend  of  his,  a merchant,  who  was  on 
the  point  of  sailing  for  Malacca,  went  to  take  leave 
of  the  saint  and  to  ask  his  blessing : then,  with 
the  confidence  of  a friend,  he  requested  some  little 
trifle  to  keep  in  remembrance  of  him.  The  saint, 
who  was  ever  most  condescending,  took  off  his 
beads  which  he  wore  round  his  neck  and  gave 
them,  his  poverty  having  left  him  nothing  else, 
telling  his  friend  to  take  care  of  them,  for  as  long 
as  he  had  them  about  him  he  would  escape  all  the 
dangers  of  the  sea.  This  promise  was  even  more 
gratifying  to  the  pious  merchant  than  the  gift  itself; 
and,  with  the  beads  in  his  possession,  he  cheer- 
fully set  sail.  One  of  the  worst  gulfs  of  India  lies 
between  St.  Thomas  and  Malacca : however,  his 
vessel  had  prosperously  crossed  the  greater  part  of 
it,  when  suddenly  a storm  arose  which  completely 
disabled  her,  and  she  was  thrown  upon  some  rocks 
and  was  wrecked  to  all  intents  and  purposes. 
The  majority  of  the  crew  and  passengers  perished. 
A few  of  the  more  courageous  clung  to  the  rocks, 
our  good  merchant  among  the  number;  but  as 
they  were  in  high  sea,  and  as  the  bare  rock  would 
neither  supply  them  with  food  nor  water,  the 
dread  of  starvation  compelled  them  to  attempt  a 
desperate  remedy.  Collecting  what  planks  they 
16 


182 


THE  LIFE  OF 


could  from  the  wreck,  they  constructed  a sort  of 
raft,  on  which  they  risked  their  lives,  with  no 
other  chance  than  that  some  strong  current  might 
carry  them  to  land.  The  merchant  secured  his 
heads  upon  his  person,  firmly  believing  that  they 
would  prove  the  means  of  his  preservation.  Nor 
was  he  deceived : the  promise  of  the  saint  was 
fully  accomplished.  No  sooner  had  he  and  his 
companions  committed  themselves  to  the  raft  than, 
as  might  be  expected,  the  waves  tossed  it  about  in 
all  directions.  The  merchant,  in  the  mean  time, 
became  wholly  unconscious  of  what  was  passing: 
he  knew  not  that  he  was  at  sea  and  in  danger  of 
drowning.  A species  of  delightful  ecstasy  trans- 
ported him  elsewhere.  It  seemed  to  him  that  he 
was  in  the  town  of  St.  Thomas,  conversing  with 
Father  Francis.  His  rapture  lasted  five  days,  at 
the  end  of  which  he  returned  to  himself,  and,  to 
his  utter  astonishment,  found  himself  stretched  on 
the  sands  of  an  unknown  shore.  On  looking  round, 
not  one  of  his  companions  was  to  be  seen.  They 
had  all  been  swallowed  up  by  the  waves : nothing 
remained  but  the  boards  to  which  they  had  in- 
trusted their  lives.  On  inquiring  of  some  peasants 
as  to  the  part  of  the  country  where  he  had  been 
stranded,  they  told  him  he  was  on  the  coast  of 
Nagapatan,  and  not  very  far  from  St.  Thomas, 
whence  he  had  set  sail. 

No  less  admirable  is  the  following  instance  of 
Xavier’s  protecting  care.  A soldier,  named  Jerome 
Fernandez  di  Mendoza,  sailed  from  the  coast  of  Co- 
romandel, where  Xavier  was,  with  the  intention 
of  crossing  to  the  opposite  coast.  When  they  had 
learly  reached  Cape  Comorin,  their  ship  was 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER 


183 


boarded  by  some  pirates.  We  know  not  what 
became  of  the  rest;  but  Jerome,  deprived  of  all 
his  property,  and  half  naked,  contrived  to  escape 
from  his  captors  and  from  the  sea,  into  which  they 
had  either  thrown  him,  or  he  had  leaped  of  his 
own  accord.  In  due  time  he  returned  to  the  place 
from  whence  he  had  started,  relating  his  misfor- 
tunes and  asking  charity  wherever  he  could.  Hap- 
pening to  meet  Father  Francis,  he  appealed  to  his 
compassion.  The  saint  well  knew  he  had  nothing 
but  compassion  to  bestow:  nevertheless,  he  in- 
stinctively put  his  hand  into  his  pocket  and  found 
it  empty : he  had  not  even  a penny.  He  first 
raised  his  eyes  to  heaven,  then,  turning  to  the  sol- 
dier, said  to  him,  “ Brother,  God  will  provide,” 
and  then  went  on  his  way.  He  had  not  proceeded 
more  than  four  or  five  steps,  when  he  felt  that  his 
prayer  had  been  granted;  and,  turning  round,  he 
called  the  poor  man  to  him,  again  put  his  hand  in 
the  same  pocket,  and  drew  forth  fifty  pieces  of 
money,  partly  gold  and  partly  silver,  of  a coinage 
unknown  to  India.  He  gave  it  all  to  him,  telling 
him  Almighty  God  had  sent  it,  and  that  he  must 
keep  the  matter  secret.  Joy  and  gratitude  made 
this  impossible:  the  beggar  felt  himself  bound  to 
disclose  the  charity  and  the  merit  of  his  benefac- 
tor : he  published  the  affair  along  the  whole  coast 
of  Coromandel.  When  examined,  the  coins  were 
found  to  be  of  the  purest  metal,  leaving  no  room 
| to  doubt  that  they  came  from  God  Almighty’s  own 
mint:  merchants  eagerly  purchased  them  at  a price 
considerably  beyond  their  weight, — the  rate  of 
I purchase  usually  adopted  in  that  country. 

This  wonderful  instance  of  temporal  succor  re- 


181 


THE  LIFE  OF 


minds  me  of  another,  the  place  and  date  whe/cof 
are  not  recorded.  As  St.  Francis  was  once  tra- 
velling, a beggar  asked  him  to  give  him  a little 
of  some  oil,  which  he  knew  had  been  bestowed  as 
alms  on  the  saint  by  certain  pious  friends.  The 
saint  desired  his  companion  to  give  the  oil,  who 
answered  that  there  was  none  to  give,  the  flask 
being  already  empty, — adding  that  not  long  before 
he  had  held  it  upside-down  without  being  able  to 
drain  so  much  as  a single  drop.  The  holy  father 
positively  bade  him  go  and  look  again  : he  did  so, 
and  returned,  joyfully  exclaiming  that  the  vessel 
was  now  quite  full.  “Well,  then,"  rejoined  the 
saint,  who  took  no  notice  of  the  miracle,  “ bestow 
the  charity,  and  take  care  to  be  more  generous  to 
the  needy.” 

More  varied,  and  not  less  admirable,  are  the  fol- 
lowing circumstances.  For  the  better  understand- 
ing of  my  narrative,  I must  be  somewhat  minute 
in  detail,  as  what  was  begun  at  St.  Thomas  was 
completed  at  Malacca.  John  d’Eiro  was  thirty- 
five  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  which  we  treat 
He  had  been  originally  in  the  army,  but  aban 
doned  it  for  commerce;  he  was  the  owner  of  a 
ship,  and  had  amassed  considerable  property;  yet 
he  was  neither  satisfied  with  himself  nor  with  the 
world,  his  own  heart,  or  rather  God  in  his  heart, 
continually  reminding  him  of  the  reverses  which 
he  might  experience,  and  of  the  superiority  of 
those  goods  which  alone  we  can  carry  with  us  out 
of  this  w^orld,  and  which  we  shall  enjoy  for  eter- 
nity. Besides,  what  security  had  he  that  the  sea 
would  not  deprive  him  of  all  his  gains,  as  it  had 
done  to  so  many  others  ? And  then  of  what  avail 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  185 

would  be  all  bis  precious  toils,  when  he  would  find 
himself  left  without  riches  for  this  world  or  merits 
for  the  next  ? And,  supposing  that  all  should  go 
on  prosperously,  death  would  at  last  despoil  him 
of  his  all : how  much  more  wisely  would  he  act, 
if  he  now  did  with  merit  what  then  he  would  be 
compelled  to  do  by  necessity!  Why  not  at  once 
give  his  all  to  God,  and,  by  an  exchange  of  mer- 
chandise, purchase  heaven  for  earth,  eternal  riches 
instead  of  perishable  advantages  ? These  and 
other  similar  thoughts  were  perpetually  revolving 
in  his  mind,  and  made  his  heart  dissatisfied  in  the 
very  midst  of  his  enjoyments.  In  the  mean  time 
Father  Francis  met  with  him  in  Ceylon  : d’Eiro 
noticed  his  mode  of  life  and  his  happiness  in  holy 
poverty,  his  useful  labors  for  the  benefit  of  others, 
his  angelical  innocence  of  manner : in  a word,  be 
looked  upon  him  as  the  happiest  man  in  the  world. 

“ Now  at  last,”  thought  he,  “ I have  discovered 
just  the  sort  of  life  I want,  and  the  very  master 
who  will  train  me  to  it,  both  by  his  example  and 
his  admonitions.”  After  several  conversations 
with  the  saint,  he  opened  his  whole  heart  to  him, 
and  wished  to  make  a general  confession.  As  the 
holy  man  was  on  the  point  of  sailing  for  Nagata- 
parn  they  agreed  to  defer  it  till  they  met  again  at 
Meliapore,  whither  both  were  going.  This  plan 
was  carried  out,  d’Eiro  disclosing  all  his  projects, 
and  requesting  Xavier  to  become  his  guide  and 
master  in  a spiritual  life,  protesting  that,  since  Al- 
mighty God  so  far  favored  him,  he  renounced  there 
at  his  feet  all  that  he  possessed,  and  all  his  worldly 
hopes,  determined  to  seek  God  alone  in  future; 
and,  if  Xavier  would  receive  him,  he  offered  to  be- 
16* 


186 


THE  LIFE  OF 


come  his  constant  companion,  and  to  imitate  hia 
apostolic  form  of  life  as  far  as  his  strength  per- 
mitted. The  saint  praised  the  design  and  encour- 
aged him,  but  was  prudently  reserved  in  coming  to 
a decision.  He  approved  of  his  renouncing  worldly 
goods  and  pleasure ; he  even  consented  to  receive 
him  as  an  associate,  but  not  to  admit  him  to  reli- 
gion, till  he  had  made  further  trial  of  him.  He 
agreed  to  hear  his  confession  in  three  days,  and  to 
consult  Almighty  God  in  the  interim,  that  he 
might  the  more  securely  follow  his  divine  will. 
Affairs  seemed  to  go  on  very  well : the  general 
confession  was  made,  the  ship  and  merchandise 
disposed  of,  and  considerable  alms  were  bestowed 
on  the  poor.  He  lived,  however,  apart  from  the 
saint,  in  a hired  apartment,  occupying  himself 
chiefly  in  prayer  and  works  of  penance,  with  the 
view  of  laying  a solid  foundation  for  the  perfection 
he  aspired  to.  The  issue,  however,  did  not  cor- 
respond with  these  fair  appearances : in  a short 
time,  this  poverty,  retirement,  and  renunciation  of 
pleasure  became  irksome.  He  regretted  having 
sacrificed  all  his  riches,  and  thought  he  ought  to 
have  taken  more  time  for  consideration,  till  by  little 
and  little  he  became  a merchant  in  heart  again. 
Having  no  longer  any  relish  for  the  things  of 
God,  it  was  no  difficult  matter  for  the  devil  to  per- 
suade the  miserable  man  to  seek  delight  else- 
where ; and  then,  placing  opportunity  within  his 
reach,  he  yielded  at  the  very  first  assault. 

No  sooner  had  he  gratified  his  criminal  desire 
than  he  determined  to  go  away  beyond  the  reach 
of  Xavier.  Consequently,  he  either  raised  loans, 
or  had  some  part  of  his  own  property  remaining ; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


187 


and  with  this  he  purchased  a slave,  and  through 
him  a small  ship  and  cargo.  But  his  flight  had 
not  been  so  secretly  planned  as  to  escape  the  eye 
of  God,  nor  that  of  Xavier,  to  whom  our  Lord  re 
vealed  it.  Just  as  d’Eiro  was  on  the  point  of 
setting  sail,  he  received  a message  from  the  saint, 
requesting  to  see  him  immediately.  The  discon- 
certed merchant  at  first  affected  to  believe  there 
must  be  some  mistake  ; but,  finding  that  the  mes- 
senger was  not  to  be  imposed  upon,  he  agreed  to 
go,  fully  resolved  to  deny  the  truth  if  questioned, 
flattering  himself  that,  at  the  most,  Xavier  could 
only  suspect,  but  could  not  possibly  be  certain  of, 
his  intended  flight.  Having  planned  his  answers, 
he  put  on  a bold  face,  and  presented  himself  before 
the  saint.  Assuming  a very  earnest  countenance, 
Xavier  at  once  accosted  him  with  great  energy: — 
“Thou  hast  sinned,  John!  thou  hast  sinned !” 
There  was  no  occasion  to  say  more.  D’Eiro  fell 
at  his  feet,  exclaiming,  “It  is  true,  father:  why 
should  I deny  what  you  already  know?  I have 
sinned,  and  I commend  myself  to  your  compas- 
sion.” “In  that  case,  then,”  replied  the  saint, 
raising  him  from  the  ground,  “let  us  have  con- 
fession;” and  he  heard  him  immediately.  So  sin- 
cerely did  he  deplore  his  error,  and  so  thoroughly 
was  he  changed  in  this  brief  interval,  that  he  went 
away  and  sold  his  slave,  his  ship,  and  all  his  mer- 
chandise; and,  dividing  his  receipts  among  the 
poorest  of  the  poor,  he  again  placed  himself  in 
Xavier’s  hands,  with  better  purposes  and  better 
sense  than  ever.  He  accompanied  him  to  St.  Tho- 
mas, to  Malacca,  to  the  Moluccas,  and  back  again 
to  Malacca ; and  here  he  was  again  overcome  by 


188 


THE  LIFE  OF 


another  temptation.  A pious  Portuguese  intrusted 
him  with  a sum  of  money  as  an  alms  for  Xavier, 
which  he  concealed  from  him, — with  what  view  is 
not  stated  : at  all  events,  the  very  fact  of  the  con- 
cealment presupposes  an  evil  intention.  How  the 
fact  reached  the  knowledge  of  Xavier  is  likewise 
unknown : suffice  it  to  say,  he  became  aware  of  it, 
and,  considering  it  a fault  which  ought  not  to  be 
left  unpunished,  he  sentenced  him  to  banishment 
in  the  little  desert  island  of  Upe,  there  to  do  pe- 
nance in  solitude  and  fasting  until  the  saint  him- 
self should  recall  him.  D’Eiro,  who  did  not  long 
remain  either  very  good  or  very  bad,  submitted, 
and  shut  himself  up  in  an  abandoned  hut,  making 
the  spiritual  exercises,  as  prescribed  by  the  holy 
father.  One  day,  as  he  was  in  prayer,  (we  cannot 
say  whether  he  was  awake  or  asleep,)  he  had  the 
following  vision:  he  seemed  to  be  in  a magnificent 
church,  where  majestically  enthroned  on  the  altar 
sat  the  glorious  queen  of  heaven,  together  with 
her  divine  Son,  who,  descending  from  her  arms, 
approached  d’Eiro,  and,  taking  him  by  the  hand, 
led  him  to  his  mother;  but  she,  with  an  aspect  of 
displeasure;  repulsed  him,  as  being  unworthy  to 
approach  her,  giving  two  reasons  for  this.  Though 
not  stated,  it  is  supposed  that  the}7  were  sins  which 
the  gross  conscience  of  this  man  had  overlooked 
in  confession.  In  fine,  the  Mother  of  God  would 
not  allow  him  to  go  near  her,  so  that  he  rose  up, 
intending  to  go  away;  but  just  at  this  moment 
the  vision  disappeared.  The  poor  man  was  there- 
fore left  in  sad  distress  and  perplexity  : he  could 
not  reconcile  the  favor  of  the  son  with  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  mother. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  189 

Soon  after  this,  Xavier  called  him  to  make  hia 
confession,  when  he  detailed  whatever  he  judged 
proper,  but  took  care  not  to  say  a word  of  what 
he  had  seen  and  heard : the  whole  vision  was  care- 
fully withheld.  The  saint  asked  him  why  he  said 
nothing  of  the  vision  with  which  he  had  been 
favored  during  his  prayer,  at  the  same  time  men- 
tioning a few  of  the  circumstances.  But  d Eire 
boldly  denied  the  whole  affair : whereupon  X'*vie» 
(who  no  doubt  had  obtained  it  for  him)  minutely 
detailed  all  its  circumstances,  adding  the  explana- 
tion of  that  which  had  been  inexplicable  to  the 
man  himself.  From  thenceforward  he  resolved  to 
have  him  no  longer  for  his  companion ; but  he  well 
rewarded  him  for  all  that  he  had  done  for  him  in 
the  course  of  his  numerous  voyages,  by  predicting 
that  he  would  put  on  the  habit  of  St.  Francis,  and 
would  remain  in  the  order  till  his  death, — which 
prediction  was  fully  verified. 

Before  leaving  Meliapore  for  Malacca  and  the 
Celebes,  S.  Francis  wrote  to  Father  di  Camerino, 
at  Goa,  desiring  him  to  send  two  of  the  new  mis- 
sionaries, who  were  shortly  expected  to  arrive  from 
Portugal,  together  with  the  two  Cingalese  princes, 
whenever  the  Portuguese  troops  should  be  sent  to 
reinstate  them  in  their  rights.  But  nothing  of  the 
sort  took  place:  the  two  youths  died  within  a year 
and  a half  of  each  other,  so  that  all  the  hopes 
raised  on  their  account  ended  in  the  Church  win- 
ning two  princes  and  Paradise  two  souls. 


END  OF  THE  FIRST  BOOK 


190 


THE  LIFE  OF 


% Swonit. 


Hitherto  we  have  accompanied  our  holy  apostle 
in  that  part  of  Asia  situated  between  the  Indus 
and  the  Ganges,  properly  called  India,  or  rather 
Hindostan.  Yast  as  these  limits  would  appear, 
they  were  too  circumscribed  for  the  full  exercise 
of  his  zeal.  It  remains  for  us  now  to  follow  him 
below  the  Ganges,  a part  of  Asia  which  becomes 
like  another  world,  comprehending  immense  islands 
and  kingdoms. 

Quitting  Meliapore,  to  the  inexpressible  regret  of 
the  inhabitants,  who  accompanied  him  in  crowds 
to  the  ship,  he  crossed  the  Gulf  of  Bengal,  and  ar- 
rived at  Malacca  on  the  25th  of  September,  1545. 

Malacca  is  a vast  peninsula,  and,  though  situated 
in  the  torrid  zone,  may  be  said  to  enjoy  a perpetual 
spring.  Toward  the  extremity  of  the  peninsula, 
opposite  to  Sumatra,  stands  the  city  of  Malacca, 
which  gives  its  name  to  the  whole  country.  At 
the  epoch  of  which  we  treat,  it  was  under  the 
dominion  of  the  Portuguese,  Hon  Alphonsus  Albu- 
querque having  wrested  it  from  the  Saracens,  who 
vigorously  defended  it  both  by  sea  and  land.  The 
city  is  large,  well  built,  populous,  and  has  a strong 
fortress.  The  inhabitants,  partly  Jews,  and  partly 
Moors,  Gentiles,  and  Christians,  though  forming  a 
strange  contrast  on  the  score  of  religion,  were 
sufficiently  of  accord  on  the  score  of  morals, — all 


, SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  191 

living  in  a state  of  deplorable  dissoluteness,  under 
a most  enervating  climate.  Every  sort  of  luxury 
and  sensuality  was  indulged  in, — the  gratification 
of  the  passions  being  apparently  the  chief  object 
of  life. 

In  the  course  of  his  voyage  to  Malacca  the  saint 
gave  another  beautiful  instance  of  his  ever-watchful 
charity.  As  is  usual  on  such  occasions,  the  soldiers 
and  sailors  wasted  a great  deal  of  their  time  play- 
ing at  cards;  and  there  were  two  of  them  who 
played  not  for  the  sake  of  recreation,  but  from  a 
sheer  spirit  of  avarice  and  gain.  A series  of  re- 
verses seemed  to  pursue  one  of  them,  who,  writh 
the  desperation  c>f  a gambler,  raised  the  stakes  in 
proportion  as  he  lost,  possibly  with  the  hope  of 
redeeming  all  his  losses  by  one  single  turn  of  good 
fortune:  in  fine,  he  went  on  till  he  had  lost  not 
only  every  farthing  of  his  own,  but  likewise  a con- 
siderable sum  of  money  which  had  been  intrusted 
to  him  by  others  for  commercial  purposes.  He 
left  not  the  gaming-table  until  he  had  absolutely 
nothing  more  to  stake;  and  then,  when  he  began 
to  reflect  on  his  disastrous  position,  he  fell  into  a 
profound  melancholy,  and,  like  a madman,  cursed 
himself  and  his  own  life,  resolving  to  fling  himself 
into  the  sea,  in  contempt  of  the  express  law  of  that 
God  whom  he  blasphemed.  By  some  means  or 
other,  Xavier  became  aware  of  the  wretched  man’s 
condition ; and,  hastening  to  him,  he  tenderly  em- 
braced him,  and  endeavored  to  console  him,  but  to 
little  purpose,  the  other  repulsing  him  with  great 
rudeness.  Recollecting  himself  for  a moment  or 
two,  and  recommending  the  issue  to  God,  Xavier 
went  and  borrowed  fifty  reals  from  one  of  the  pas- 


192 


THE  LIFE  OF 


6engers,  which  he  immediately  offered  to  tho  un- 
fortunate gamester,  bidding  him  go  again  and 
challenge  his  victor.  Before  they  began,  he  took 
the  pack  of  cards,  and,  shuffling  them  a little,  re- 
turned them : thus  encouraged,  the  loser  resumed 
his  game,  and  so  prosperously  that  the  longer  he 
played  the  more  he  won.  He  not  only  recovered 
all  his  losses,  but  was  beginning  to  win  from  his 
adversary,  when  the  saint,  who  was  present,  for- 
bade him  to  go  on  any  longer,  and,  taking  him 
aside,  began  to  speak  to  him  about  the  state  of 
his  soul.  His  salutary  admonitions  completely 
changed  the  man:  he  renounced  gambling  forever, 
and  from  thenceforward  led  a most  exemplary  life. 

As  his  passage  to  Malacca  had  been  honored  by 
miracles,  so  likewise  was  his  arrival  similarly  dis- 
tinguished. Ho  sooner  was  it  published  through 
the  city  (we  know  not  whether  through  the  medium 
of  angels  or  of  men)  that  Father  Francis  had  reached 
their  shores,  than  crowds  rushed  forth  to  meet  him  : 
all  the  children,  and  even  mothers  and  nurses,  with 
infants  in  their  arms,  joined  in  the  acclamations  of 
joy  and  greeted  the  holy  father , as  he  was  univer- 
sally designated  : they  kissed  his  hands  and  implored 
his  blessing.  With  his  characteristic  charity,  mo- 
desty, and  affability,  he  accepted  their  welcome, 
and,  caressing  the  little  ones,  called  them  severally 
by  their  proper  names,  as  if  he  had  lived  among  them 
for  years,  instead  of  seeing  them  now  for  the  first 
time.  This  circumstance,  coupled  with  the  fame 
of  his  virtue,  which  had  reached  Malacca  from  the 
farther  shores  of  India,  at  once  procured  for  him 
the  esteem  and  reputation  of  a saint. 

Notwithstanding  the  entreaties  of  several,  he 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  193 

refused  all  offers  of  a private  lodging,  and  repaired 
to  the  common  hospital,  as  he  always  did  when- 
ever one  of  these  useful  institutions  could  be  found. 
This  plan  answered  a double  purpose : it  gratified 
his  humility  by  throwing  him  among  the  poor,  and 
his  charity  by  enabling  him  to  serve  the  sick. 
Moreover,  he  could  here  more  freely  follow  his 
fervor  in  fasting,  austerities,  and  nocturnal  vigils 
and  prayer.  But  he  did  not  quite  succeed,  as  he 
intended,  in  concealing  these  pious  practices  from 
every  eye  but  that  of  God.  Among  others, 
Anthony  and  Diego  Pereira,  two  of  his  most  de- 
voted friends,  especially  the  latter,  being  struck 
with  admiration  at  the  sanctity  of  his  life,  and 
his  incessant  toil  for  the  benefit  of  others,  felt 
curious  to  know  how  he  spent  his  nights.  Accord- 
ingly, they  privately  watched  through  the  fissures 
of  the  matting  which  formed  the  partition  of  his 
sleeping-apartment,  and  saw  that,  by  wTay  of  rest- 
ing himself  after  the  labors  of  the  day,  he  threw 
himself  on  his  knees  before  a crucifix,  and  there 
remained  transfixed  as  if  in  ecstasy:  several  hours 
passed  thus  in  profound  contemplation,  with  no 
other  outward  demonstration  than  an  inflamed 
countenance,  and  streams  of  tears  flowing  over 
his  cheeks, — the  sweet  proofs  of  his  interior  con- 
solations. The  two  Pereiras  saw  no  more  than 
this,  though  others,  more  fortunate,  beheld  him 
suspended  in  the  air,  entirely  surrounded  by  rays 
of  brilliant  light;  of  which  more  will  be  said  later, 
when  treating  of  his  raptures  and  his  intimate 
union  with  Almighty  God.  After  thus  spending 
the  greater  part  of  the  night  on  his  knees  in 
prayer,  he  arose,  and  either  seated  himself,  or  else 
N 17 


194 


THE  LIFE  OF 


threw  bis  wearied  limbs  on  his  couch,  formed  of 
cords  interlaced,  with  a stone  for  his  pillow.  He 
allowed  himself  two  or  three  hours  for  repose, 
then  recited  the  Divine  .Office,  and  at  daybreak 
sallied  forth  to  resume  his  accustomed  avocations 
in  behalf  of  his  neighbor. 

But  his  friends  would  not  leave  him  in  peace  at 
the  hospital.  He  was  obliged  at  last  to  yield  to 
the  charity  of  certain  pious  individuals,  who  in- 
sisted on  lodging  him  in  their  house.  He  could 
not  do  otherwise  than  afford  them  this  gratifica- 
tion, doing  so  the  more  willingly  because  they 
were  poor,  and  therefore,  in  his  opinion,  more  de- 
serving of  this  proof  of  his  affection:  besides,  he 
could  more  easily  remunerate  them  in  his  own 
style,  that  is,  out  of  God  Almighty’s  purse,  that 
never-failing  purse,  in  which  he  always  found  what 
he  needed  either  for  himself  or  for  the  necessities 
of  others.  Xavier  gave  a special  blessing  to  this 
house,  and  prophesied  that  thenceforward  whoever 
inhabited  it  should  prosper.  Effects  soon  verified 
his  promise.  The  Processes  relate  one  of  these 
miraculous  interpositions  as  being  particularly 
worthy  of  remembrance.  The  house  in  question 
adjoined  the  castle  of  St.  James,  overlooking  the 
city  walls,  which  were  here  extremely  high  and 
fronting  the  sea.  After  the  saint  had  lived  there, 
it  so  happened  that  at  different  times  two  children 
and  a woman  fell  from  this  immense  height, 
striking  against  the  buttresses  of  the  wall  in  their 
descent.  Under  ordinary  circumstances,  such  a 
fall  must  inevitably  have  killed  them  on  the  spot; 
yet  of  these  three  not  one  of  them  received  so 
much  as  a bruise  : the  saint,  mindful  of  his  promise, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  195 

invisibly  stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  prevented 
the  effects  of  the  fall. 

The  superhuman  protection  afforded  to  this 
house  was  so  fully  authenticated  that  it  became  an 
object  of  veneration  to  the  people,  and  many  per- 
sons offered  to  purchase  it  at  a high  price;  but  its 
owner,  John  Suarez  Vergara,  from  the  moment 
the  first  of  these  miracles  occurred,  -valued  it 
more  than  ever,  and  would  on  no  terms  be  in- 
duced to  dispose  of  it.  On  the  contrary,  he  said 
that,  supposing  he  had  no  other  inheritance  to 
bequeath  to  his  family,  the  legacy  of  this  house, 
sanctified  as  it  was  by  the  residence  of  St.  Francis 
Xavier  within  its  walls,  would  make  them  rich 
enough,  since  of  itself  it  was  a fertile  treasury  of 
blessings. 

Nor  was  this  the  only  or  the  chief  instance  in 
which  God  was  pleased  to  hear  the  prayers  and 
honor  the  merits  of  his  servant  in  the  city  of 
Malacca.  In  the  depositions,  attested  on  oath,  we 
read  that  his  miraculous  cures  could  not  be  counted 
one  by  one,  nor  even  in  round  numbers;  for  his 
mere  touch  cured  all  the  sick  who  were  brought  to 
him.  His  hands  were  believed  to  be  endowed 
with  power  over  every  kind  of  malady.  The  fol- 
lowing are  a few  of  the  most  remarkable  of  these 
cures. 

Anthony  Fernandez,  a child  of  fifteen  years  old, 
was  dangerously  ill,  and  at  the  point  of  death. 
His  mother,  though  nominally  a Christian,  was  so 
far  addicted  to  paganism  as  to  confide  in  magic,  a 
highly-esteemed  art  in  the  isle  of  Java,  of  which 
she  was  a native.  Finding  that  medical  aid  was 
of  no  use  to  her  son,  she  called  in  certain  Indian 


196 


THE  LIFE  OF 


sorceresses  of  her  acquaintance,  and,  among  the 
rest,  an  old  woman  called  Na'i,  who  was  considered 
quite  an  adept  in  her  profession.  She  promised 
his  perfect  cure,  after  stipulating  for  a handsome 
remuneration,  and  threw  her  incantations  on  a 
mysterious  cord  which  she  fastened  on  the  youth’s 
arm.  But  the  result  was  widely  different  from 
ner  expectations.  The  patient  lost  both  sense  and 
speech,  and  was  seized  with  deadly  fainting-fits: 
for  three  days,  he  neither  spoke  nor  tasted  any 
nourishment,  and  his  case  was  now  evidently 
desperate.  In  this  posture  of  affairs,  a certain 
worthy  woman  happened  to  call,  and,  compassion- 
ating the  distress  of  the  mother,  who  was  weeping 
bitterly,  said  to  her,  “Why  do  you  not  send  for 
the  holy  father,  whose  very  touch  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  cure  the  child  ?”  A messenger  was  im- 
mediately despatched  to  him,  and,  with  his  accus- 
tomed condescension,  he  hastened  to  the  house. 
No  sooner  did  he  appear  than  the  youth,  who 
before  lay  like  a log,  rose  up  in  a fury,  screaming 
wildly,  and  could  scarcely  be  restrained  by  main 
force.  A glance  satisfied  the  saint  that  this  vio- 
lence did  not  proceed  from  natural  causes,  but 
from  the  devil  who  had  possession  of  him.  He 
was  confirmed  in  his  opinion  when,  presenting  his 
cross  to  the  raving  youth,  he  fell  into  convulsions, 
made  most  frightful  grimaces,  and  spat  at  the 
honored  sign  of  man’s  redemption.  Xavier  knelt 
down  at  the  bedside,  read  the  Passion  of  our  Divine 
Lord,  hung  his  reliquary  round  his  neck,  and 
sprinkled  him  with  holy  water ) whereupon  his 
rage  subsided,  and  he  became  immovable  as  be- 
fore. Then  the  saint,  rising  up,  said,  “Prepare 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  197 

such  and  such  food,  and  give  it  him  at  such  an 
hour  of  the  night:  he  will  be  able  to  take  it;”  and 
he  specified  the  food  and  the  precise  hour.  Every 
thing  was  done  as  he  desired,  and  with  the  effect 
he  promised.  lie  moreover  made  the  boy's  father 
promise,  in  the  event  of  his  recovery,  to  take  him 
for  nine  successive  days  to  the  church  of  our  Lady 
del  Monte,  where  the  saint  himself  was  going  to 
say  mass  the  next  day,  when  he  would  recommend 
him  to  the  Mother  of  God.  After  making  these 
arrangements,  the  sanut  went  away.  The  follow- 
ing morning,  at  the  » ery  time  that  Xavier  was 
celebrating,  the  patienc  suddenly  recovered  both 
sense  and  speech,  and  arose  in  perfect  health. 

It  cost  him  much  less  to  rescue  three  others 
from  the  grasp  of  death, — Francis  Lopez  Almeida, 
a brother  of  Eodriguez  Pereira,  and  a child  three 
years  old  adopted  by  Diego  Pereira.  Lopez  was 
already  senseless  and  in  his  agony;  Eodriguez  was 
reduced  to  extremity,  having  tasted  nothing  for 
three  days;  and  the  child  was  in  violent  convul- 
sions, the  effect  either  of  epilepsy  or  of  his  being 
possessed.  The  saint  was  asked  to  visit  them  all, 
which  he  did,  and  immediately  cured  them, — the 
first  by  merely  putting  his  hand  on  his  head,  the 
second  by  hearing  his  confession,  and  the  third  by 
reciting  a gospel  over  him. 

He  foretold  to  a Portuguese,  a great  friend  of 
his,  the  risk  to  which  some  of  his  very  valuable 
merchandise  would  be  exposed  whilst  at  sea;  and, 
had  he  not  at  the  same  time  duly  cautioned  him, 
no  doubt  the  whole  would  have  been  lost.  He 
inquired  on  which  ship,  out  of  several  that  were 
going  to  sail,  he  intended  to  intrust  his  cargo, 
17* 


THE  LIFE  OF 


His  friend  named  the  vessel.  “No,  no,”  said 
Xavier,  “ not  on  that  one : her  voyage  will  be  dis- 
astrous.” But  the  poor  merchant  had  no  longer 
any  remedy : the  property  was  all  stowed  awray, 
and  the  ship  was  on  the  very  point  of  sailing:  his 
distress  was  very  great,  for  he  had  embarked  nearly 
ail  bis  capital  in  his  cargo.  After  a few  moments 
of  silent  recollection,  the  saint  encouraged  him, 
saying,  “Cheer  up.  God  speed  you:  accompany 
your  merchandise ; and  remember,  whatever  acci- 
dent befalls  you  on  the  voyage,  let  nothing  per- 
suade you  to  throw  your  property  overboard.” 
Thus  reassured,  the  merchant  sailed.  When  about 
midway,  a storm  arose,  which  threw  the  vessel  on 
a sandbank,  and  there  she  remained  embedded  : to 
lighten  the  load  seemed  the  only  chance  of  getting 
her  off,  and  consequently  it  was  resolved  to  throw 
over  the  merchandise,  or  heaviest  part  of  the  cargo. 
But  the  Portuguese  resolutely  opposed  this,  re- 
lating the  predictions  so  recently  made  by  Father 
Francis,  who  had  positively  forbidden  him  either 
to  quit  the  vessel  in  case  of  accident  or  to  permit 
the  removal  of  his  property  : he  conjured  the  crew 
to  be  patient  a little  longer,  and  the  prophecy 
would  infallibly  be  accomplished.  He  was  be- 
lieved, and  the  issue  showed  that  he  was  right; 
for  a sudden  swell  of  the  sea  raised  the  ship,  car- 
ried her  off  the  sands,  and  she  pursued  her  voyage. 

Of  all  the  miracles  wrought  by  Xavier  at  Malacca 
the  most  wonderful  was  the  resuscitation  of  a young  [ 
girl,  who  was  not  only  dead,  but  actually  buried.  ! 
At  the  time  of  her  death  he  was  at  some  distance 
from  Malacca,  nor  did  he  return  till  three  days 
afterward.  The  mother,  who  had  sought  him 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


199 


everywhere  during  the  child’s  illness,  no  sooner 
heard  of  his  return  than  she  resolved  to  have  re- 
course to  him,  convinced  that  he  who  could  have 
cured  her  daughter  when  ill  could  raise  her  to  life 
now  that  she  was  dead.  Accordingly,  she  went  in 
search  of  him,  and  as  soon  as  she  perceived  him, 
falling  at  his  feet  bathed  in  tears,  she  addressed 
him  as  heretofore  Martha  did  our  Lord: — “Mladst 
thou  been  here,  my  daughter  had  not  died : never- 
theless, if  thou  wilt  thou  canst  restore  her  to  life, 
for  nothing  is  impossible  to  God,  and  he  grants  all 
things  to  thy  prayers.”  The  saint  was  astonished 
and  delighted  to  find  such  great  faith  in  a woman 
who  had  but  recently  been  converted  to  the  law 
of  Christ,  and  she  appeared  to  him  deserving  of 
the  favor  she  implored.  Raising  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  he  prayed  that  Almighty  God  would  con- 
sole her  and  reward  her  faith  : then,  turning  to 
her,  he  bade  her  go,  confidently  assuring  her  that 
her  child  was  alive.  Balancing  between  hope  and 
fear,  not  doubting  his  word,  yet  surprised  that  he 
did  not  offer  to  accompany  her,  she  ventured  to 
observe  that  her  daughter  had  been  already  three 
days  in  her  grave.  “No  matter,”  rejoined  the 
saint:  “go  and  open  the  tomb  : you  will  find  her 
alive.”  The  trustful  neophyte  asked  not  another 
question,  but  with  great  faith  and  joy  went  to  the 
church,  and  there,  in  presence  of  a vast  concourse 
of  spectators  who  had  assembled  to  witness  the 
miracle,  the  stone  w^as  removed,  the  grave  was 
opened,  and  the  young  damsel  was  found  alive.  As- 
tonishment, delight,  and  gratitude  were  expressed 
by  all:  even  the  pagans  gave  glory  to  God  for  con- 


200 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ceding  so  great  a miracle  to  the  merits  of  his 
servant. 

Stupendous  as  were  the  miracles  which  our  holy 
apostle  wrought  at  Malacca,  they  scarcely  sur- 
passed his  arduous  labors  for  the  improvement 
of  the  manners  and  morals  of  the  people.  He 
preached  every  Sunday,  with  a freedom  and  zeal 
suited  to  the  condition  of  a population  where 
Christians  differed  from  infidels  only  in  dress,  the 
mode  of  life  being  nearly  similar  in  all.  Sensu- 
ality in  its  grossest  forms,  immoderate  desire  of 
gain,  forgetfulness  of  God,  and  contempt  of  the 
truths  of  eternity,  everywhere  prevailed.  When 
preaching  on  these  topics,  he  tempered  his  severity 
with  sweetness,  and  the  tenderness  of  his  affec- 
tion was  equal  to  the  vigor  of  his  zeal.  He  daily 
instructed  children  (and  on  festivals  the  slaves)  in 
the  mysteries  of  religion  and  the  precepts  of  Chris- 
tian morality.  He  attended  to  the  sick,  not  only 
in  the  hospital,  but  wherever  he  was  asked  for. 
At  sunset  he  went  through  the  streets  of  the  town 
accompanied  by  a troop  of  children,  and,  tinkling 
his  little  bell  from  time  to  time,  he  reminded  the 
people  to  pray  for  those  who  were  in  the  state  of 
mortal  sin,  and  for  the  poor  souls  in  purgatory, — 
wThich  public  act  of  charity  made  many  a one  re- 
flect on  the  state  of  his  own  soul,  and  excited 
many  a bitter  pang  as  past  sins  recurred  to  mind. 

He  heard  confessions,  and  in  such  numbers  that 
time  could  scarcely  be  found  to  satisfy  all  the  ap- 
plicants. By  these  means,  backed  by  the  weight 
which  sanctity  of  life  gives  to  apostolic  zeal,  he 
gathered  abundant  fruit  in  a short  space  of  time. 
He  completely  suppressed  a most  unbecoming  and 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  201 

vicious  custom,  which  long  toleration  now  seemed 
to  authorize,  namely,  that  of  young  females  walk- 
ing about  the  town  in  male  attire, — an  abuse  which 
in  most  instances  led  to  the  loss  of  woman’s  fairest 
ornament,  her  virtue.  So  vigorously  did  Xavier 
denounce  this  unwarrantable  practice  that  those 
who  had  been  addicted  to  it  resumed  the  dress, 
and,  generally  speaking,  the  proprieties,  of  their 
sex. 

He  effected  reconciliation  between  many  whose 
enmities  were  of  long  standing;  he  severed  illicit 
connections,  taking  care  to  secure  the  means  of 
honest  subsistence  for  those  who  were  thrown  on 
their  own  resources  by  the  return  to  virtue  of  the 
parties  who  had  hitherto  maintained  them  with 
the  wages  of  vice.  He  banished  immodest  songs, 
which  even  children  went  about  singing  in  the 
public  streets,  substituting  in  place  prayers  and 
pious  canticles,  which  he  composed  for  the  pur- 
pose: little  altars  were  erected  in  various  places, 
around  wThich  the  children  would  assemble  to  sing 
their  prayers,  the  saint  often  joining  with  them  in 
this  act  of  simple  devotion;  thus  making  himself 
a child  among  his  little  ones,  in  the  same  way  as 
his  ingenious  charity  taught  him  how  to  become 
all  to  all , and  to  accommodate  himself  to  the  pro- 
fession of  each  one  with  whom  he  had  to  treat, — 
the  soldier,  the  merchant,  the  mechanic,  or  the 
slave:  he  discoursed  on  and  made  their  individual 
interests  his  own,  winning  them  to  himself  by  his 
benevolence,  that  he  might  win  them  to  God  for 
their  own  salvation. 

He  led  numberless  Mohammedans,  idolaters,  and 
Jews  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  to  bap- 


202 


THE  LIFE  OF 


tism.  Of  these  conversions  the  most  remarkable 
was  that  of  a certain  rabbi,  very  learned  in  the 
Scriptures,  and  much  respected  among  his  own 
people.  The  sermons  of  the  saint  made  no  impres- 
sion on  this  man:  on  the  contrary,  he  strove  to  ex- 
tinguish the  light  of  truth,  which  the  words  of 
Xavier  enkindled  in  the  minds  of  his  co-religion- 
ists : he  publicly  ridiculed  him,  combated  his  argu- 
ments, called  his  miracles  impositions  and  jug- 
glery, and  his  sanctity  hypocrisy.  Against  all  this 
our  saint  uttered  not  a word  of  complaint,  but 
deeply  deplored  the  injury  occasioned  to  so  many 
souls  by  the  blindness  of  this  unfortunate  man. 
He  humbly  represented  to  Almighty  God  how 
completely  this  cause  was  his  own,  and  besought 
him,  by  that  zeal  for  his  own  glory  and  that  love 
of  souls  which  induced  his  divine  Son  to  die  upon 
a cross,  to  grant  to  the  merits  of  his  precious  blood 
that  which  was  not  due  to  the  perverseness  of  the 
obstinate  rabbi.  Our  Lord  gave  him  the  convic- 
tion that  his  prayer  was  heard  : he  called  on  the 
rabbi  at  his  own  house,  and,  as  if  they  were  on  the 
most  friendly  terms,  requested  the  favor  of  dining 
with  him  that  day.  The  Jew  was  startled  at  such 
a proposal,  and  was  much  tempted  to  decline  it : 
however,  not  to  appear  miserly  or  uncivil  to  a man 
so  universally  respected,  he  very  reluctantly  gave 
the  invitation,  and  the  two  sat  down  to  dinner. 
As  we  have  already  remarked,  Xavier’s  manner, 
devoid  of  all  artifice,  was  exceedingly  attractive : 
those  who  were  well  acquainted  with  him  state 
that  his  expressive  countenance  portrayed  the  in- 
ward beauty  of  his  soul,  so  full  of  God.  By  degrees 
the  rabbi  began  to  soften,  and  by  no  means  re- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


203 


gretted  having  admitted  him  to  his  house:  the 
conversation  of  the  saint  delighted  him;  and,  on 
his  taking  leave,  the  host  thanked  him  for  his  visit, 
and  begged  he  would  repeat  it, — to  which  Xavier, 
who  desired  nothing  better,  willingly  consented. 
When  he  had  secured  the  Jew’s  friendship,  he  used 
the  most  solid  arguments  in  proof  of  his  mistaken 
creed  : God  blessed  his  words,  and,  divine  grace 
working  at  the  same  time  on  the  heart  of  the 
rabbi,  he  opened  his.  eyes  to  the  light  of  truth, 
and,  to  the  admiration  and  joy  of  all  the  Chris- 
tians of  Malacca,  he  publicly  received  baptism. 
His  example  was  soon  followed  by  many  others  of 
his  sect. 

Whilst  Xavier  was  thus  gathering  the  fruit  of 
his  labors  at  Malacca,  God  was  pleased  to  augment 
his  joy  by  a piece  of  most  gratifying  intelligence. 
A vessel  from  Goa  brought  him  letters  from  Rome 
and  Portugal,  informing  him  of  the  vast  addition 
of  members  to  the  Society,  with  details  of  their 
meritorious  labors  in  the  service  of  God  and  his 
Church.  His  soul  was  so  overwhelmed  with  de- 
light that  he  was  never  tired  of  reperusing  these 
welcome  missives:  over  and  over  again  did  he  kiss 
them,  and  bathe  them  with  his  tears : it  seemed 
(as  he  himself  expresses  it)  as  if  he  had  been  again 
in  Europe  in  the  midst  of  his  beloved  brethren,  or 
as  if  they  were  present  with  him  in  India.  Nor 
was  this  his  only  consolation  at  this  time : his 
letters  from  Goa  announced  the  arrival  of  three 
new  fathers,  Anthony  Criminale,  Nicholas  Lanci- 
lotti,  and  John  Beira, — the  two  first  Italians,  and 
the  third  a Spaniard,  all  three  priests,  and  men  of 
eminent  virtue  and  apostolic  zeal,  especially  Crimi- 


204 


THE  LIFE  OF 


nale,  who  among  the  sons  of  Ignatius  was  the  first 
to  win  the  crown  of  martyrdom. 

Xavier  cordially  embraced  and  welcomed  them 
in  heart,  though  separated  from  them  in  body : he 
sent  orders  for  Lancilotti  to  remain  as  master  at 
the  Seminary  at  Goa,  and  for  the  other  two  to’ 
go  and  assist  Mansilla  at  the  coast  of  Comorin,  he 
in  the  mean  time  being  detained  where  he  was, 
awaiting  intelligence  from  Macasser.  After  wait- 
ing three  months  to  no  purpose,  as  the  season  for 
that  voyage  was  now  past,  he  determined  on  going 
to  Amboy n a instead  of  to  Macasser, — the  more  so 
as  the  latter  was  already  provided  with  a priest. 
He  had,  with  great  difficulty  and  trouble,  trans- 
lated into  the  Malay  dialect  all  that  was  necessary 
for  the  people  to  learn  of  the  principles  of  religion, 
and  had  studied  assiduously  himself,  in  order  that 
he  might  be  prepared  to  begin  his  labors  as  soon  as 
he  arrived.  The  people  were  extremely  unwilling 
to  see  him  depart;  nor  was  he  less  sorry  to  go. 
Although  he  left  it  in  a very  different  state  from 
that  in  which  he  found  it,  the  seeds  of  vice  were 
so  deeply  radicated,  and  the  example  of  the  higher 
classes  had  such  a pernicious  effect  on  their  in- 
feriors, that  hitherto  the  preaching  and  miracles 
of  Xavier  had  certainly  not  produced  the  great 
results  which  might  have  been  hoped  for;  and 
God  permitted  his  prophetic  mind  to  foresee  the 
chastisements  and  extreme  desolation  which  later 
would  fall  upon  this  infamous  city, — calamities 
which  he  often  predicted  in  his  sermons,  though  to 
no  purpose.  He  wept  over  the  sins  of  these  people, 
and  fasted  rigorously,  often  spending  three  or  four 
days  without  tasting  food,  doing  penance  for  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  205 

sins  of  those  who  knew  not  and  cared  not  for  their 
own  miseries. 

The  vessel  for  Amboyna  being  now  ready,  he 
and  John  d’Eiro,  who  was  still  his  associate,  went 
on  board  on  the  1st  of  January,  1546,  and  imme- 
diately set  sail.  The  captain  and  higher  officers 
were  Portuguese;  the  soldiers  and  the  crew  were 
Indians,  chiefly  idolaters;  but  Xavier  soon  gained 
them  over  to  Christ,  and  baptized  them,  some 
being  converted  by  the  force  of  his  arguments,  and 
others  by  the  stupendous  miracle  which  accom- 
panied his  preaching;  for,  as  he  spoke  in  one  lan- 
guage, each  one  of  his  auditors  heard  and  under- 
stood him  in  the  idiom  of  his  country;  that  is  to 
say,  to  the  ears  of  each  individual  (and  the  crew 
consisted  of  persons  of  several  different  nations) 
Xavier  delivered  himself  in  the  language  of  his 
own  country : he,  a foreigner  among  them  all,  was 
at  the  same  moment  understood  by  all,  as  we  shall 
more  amply  explain  hereafter.  They  had  been  a 
month  at  sea,  favored  with  a fine  brisk  wind,  and 
still  Amboyna  was  not  in  sight.  The  pilot  and 
sailors  began  to  suspect  that  they  must  have  passed 
it  unawares;  but,  if  they  had,  there  was  but  little 
chance  of  retracing  their  track,  for  the  breeze  was 
strong  and  full  on  the  stern:  their  only  remedy 
was  to  lessen  their  sails,  tack  about,  and  catch  a 
side-wind,  as  best  they  could.  During  their  deli- 
berations, Xavier  joined  them,  and  smiling,  as  if 
his  eye  penetrated  through  the  vast  expanse  before 
them,  he  calmed  their  anxiety,  saying  to  them, 
“ Do  not  trouble  yourselves  about  Amboyna : we 
are  already  near  the  bay,  and  to-morrow  at  dawn 


2U6 


THE  LIFE  OF 


we  shall  be  in  sight  of  it.”  And  such  actually  was 
the  case. 

The  next  morning,  which  was  the  14th  of 
February,  they  approached  the  island ; and,  what 
was  particularly  desirable  to  the  crew,  the  wind, 
which  had  hitherto  been  so  fresh,  subsided,  and 
then  sprung  up  from  another  quarter;  so  that  tie 
vessel,  which  only  touched  at  Amboyna  in  order  to 
land  Father  Francis,  turned  her  prow  and  sailed 
off  for  Banda,  whither  she  was  bound.  The  saint 
and  some  others  were  lowered  into  the  skiff,  to  be 
rowed  ashore ; but,  when  about  midway,  two  gal- 
leys filled  with  pirates,  who  had  been  lying  in  am- 
bush, pushed  off  to  intercept  the  skiff,  whose 
rowers,  in  alarm,  turned  and  pulled  out  to  sea  with 
all  their  might.  Miraculous  to  relate,  the  pirate- 
boats  did  not  attempt  to  follow,  but,  apparently 
panic-struck,  they  fled  as  if  they  were  the  pursued 
instead  of  the  pursuers.  Xavier’s  party  was  still 
fearful  of  advancing,  lest  they  might  be  surprised 
by  some  lurking  foe;  but  the  saint,  who  saw  what 
the  sailors  did  not,  encouraged  them,  and  assured 
them  that  they  had  nothing  more  to  fear.  Relying 
on  his  word,  they  made  for  the  island,  where  he 
landed  on  the  16th  of  February. 

Though  under  the  dominion  of  Portugal,  the  in- 
habitants were  little  better  than  savages,  except- 
ing in  the  maritime  districts,  where  intercourse 
with  strangers  had  somewhat  civilized  them.  The 
saint  discovered  that,  several  years  before,  seven 
provinces  of  the  kingdom  had  embraced  the  faith 
of  Christ,  but  that  afterward  the  tyrannical  ex- 
actions of  some  Portuguese  ministers  had  so  ex- 
asperated the  people  that  the  religion  as  well  as 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  207 

the  name  of  their  oppressors  became  odious  to 
them : hence,  living  without  priests  and  without 
sacraments,  they  were  little  better  than  idolaters. 

The  first  object  of  Father  Francis  was  to  revive 
the  faith  in  those  who  had  been  already  baptized ; 
and,  as  these  had  for  the  most  part  retired  to  the 
mountains,  for  fear  of  the  Saracens  who  infested 
the  coasts,  our  holy  man  had  to  go  in  quest  of 
them  to  all  sorts  of  inaccessible  places,  climbing 
the  sharp  ascents  on  his  hands  and  knees,  and 
forcing  his  way  into  holes  and  caves,  with  mani- 
fest danger  of  encountering  wild  beasts,  the  usual 
denizens  of  such  places. 

But,  nothing  dismayed,  nothing  arrested  him: 
ever  ready,  ever  cheerful,  he  embraced  these  sa- 
vages, he  cured  their  maladies,  he  buried  their  dead : 
in  fine,  overcome  by  his  affectionate  assiduity, 
they  returned  to  Christ,  and  willingly  brought 
their  children  to  be  baptized.  He  himself  relates 
that  numbers  of  these  little  ones  died  immediately 
after  baptism,  as  if  Almighty  God  had  preserved 
their  temporal  life  just  long  enough  to  secure  to 
them  that  which  is  eternal. 

Having  so  far  succeeded  with  the  Christians, 
Xavier  now  began  to  preach  to  the  idolaters  and 
Saracens,  and  he  did  it  with  such  fervor  and  suc- 
cess as  to  gain  over  a great  number  of  them.  He 
planted  many  crosses,  erected  churches,  appointed 
teachers;  and,  in  order  to  perfect  this  new  con- 
quest, he  summoned  two  of  the  fathers  from  the 
Fishery  coast. 

Almighty  God  afforded  him  another  fine  oppor- 
tunity for  the  exercise  of  his  charity.  Three  Por- 
tuguese and  six  Castilian  vessels  touched  at  Am- 


208 


THE  LIFE  OF 


boyna,  a pestilential  fever  having  broken  out  among 
their  crews.  Some  of  the  victims  were  left  on 
board,  whilst  others  were  accommodated  on  shore, 
under  tents  and  huts  composed  of  boughs  and 
leaves.  The  mortality  was  fearful,  deprived  as 
they  were  of  medical  aid,  and,  in  fact,  of  any  kind 
of  succor. 

The  generous  soul  of  Xavier  was  not  dismayed 
either  by  the  number  of  the  infected,  or  by  the 
evident  risk  to  which  he  exposed  his  life : he  was 
in  continual  attendance  wherever  the  danger  was 
greatest;  and  such  was  his  affable  condescension 
in  the  performance  of  the  most  repulsive  offices, 
and  so  cheerful  was  his  countenance,  that  the  very 
sight  of  him  was  a comfort  to  the  sufferers. 

But  his  chief  concern  was  to  afford  6uccor  to 
their  souls, — to  see  that  they  all  duly  received  the 
holy  sacraments  and  that  they  died  in  sentiments 
of  contrition  suited  to  their  awful  position.  How 
much  did  many  of  these  confessions  cost  him ! 
For  the  most  part  they  were  soldiers  and  sailors, 
men  of  licentious  lives,  who,  when  brought  to  a 
sense  of  their  guilt,  can  with  difficulty  be  per- 
suaded to  trust  the  goodness  of  God ; for,  as  he 
justly  remarks,  they  who  live  in  sin,  abusing 
divine  mercy,  frequently  distrust  it  in  death,  to 
their  own  misfortune : he  who  induces  over-con- 
fidence whilst  they  live  in  sin  drives  them  t( 
despair  in  death,  lest  they  should  die  well.  His 
charity  did  not  end  with  the  life  of  the  sufferers : 
when  they  died,  he  dug  their  graves  and  buried 
them  with  the  rites  of  the  Church,  and  daily  cele- 
brated mass  for  those  who  died. 

Amidst  all  his  labors  for  the  sick,  he  did  not 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAYIER. 


209 


forget  those  who  were  in  health  : he  preached 
every  Sunday,  alluding  in  strong  terms  to  the 
fearful  epidemic  and  to  the  numerous  deaths  which 
were  taking  place  beneath  their  very  eyes.  These 
discourses  produced  a deep  impression  : every  one 
became  anxious  to  regulate  his  conscience  under 
the  guidance  of  the  saint,  in  consequence  of  which 
his  labors  were  redoubled. 

Incredible  were  his  endeavors  to  reform  three 
Portuguese  officers  who  governed  the  fortress,  men 
who  for  five  or  six  years  had  never  thought  of  God, 
and  who  led  the  most  abandoned  of  lives.  Xavier 
sought  to  become  familiarly  acquainted  with  them, 
and  treated  them  with  the  gentle  consideration 
suited  to  such  dangerous  wounds, — all  the  more 
dangerous  because  the  patients  were  unwilling  to 
be  cured.  He  proceeded  with  his  usual  caution, 
till  at  last  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing  their 
confessions,  of  admitting  them  to  holy  com- 
munion, and  of  seeing  them  resolutely  embrace 
an  exemplary  course  of  life.  But  the  spiritual 
resurrection  of  these  men  wellnigh  carried  the 
holy  father  himself  to  the  tomb:  he  was  seized 
with  a dangerous  illness,  which  was  generally 
ascribed  to  the  excessive  penances  with  which  he 
macerated  his  body  in  order  to  obtain  from  God 
the  conversion  of  these  three  souls. 

Xavier  secured  a great  acquisition  here  in  the 
person  of  a Castilian  priest,  called  Cosmo  di 
Torres : he  came  from  Seville  with  the  Spanish 
fleet,  and  on  landing  at  Amboyna  was  so  struck 
with  the  first  sight  of  Francis,  a man  so  full 
of  God,  such  a contemner  of  self,  so  zealous  for 
the  salvation  of  souls,  that,  burning  with  a desire 
o is* 


210 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  copy  his  example,  he  offered  to  become  hi* 
companion.  He  soon  put  on  the  habit  of  the 
Society  at  Goa,  and  afterward  accompanied  the 
saint  to  Japan,  where  he  labored  indefatigably, 
and  may  almost  be  called  the  second  Xavier  of 
the  Japanese. 

There  was  a merchant  at  Amboyna  whose  love 
of  riches  and  whose  desire  of  gain  stood  proof 
against  all  the  sermons  of  Xavier.  Finding  that 
public  admonitions  were  lost  upon  him,  he  resolved 
to  give  him  a reproof  in  private:  the  man  listened 
to  him  with  evident  displeasure,  and  dismissed 
him  with  rudeness.  The  holy  man,  compas- 
sionating his  avarice  and  his  blindness,  looked  at 
him  with  an  expression  of  deep  grief,  and  burst 
into  tears,  going  away  without  effecting  any  good. 
This  is  almost  the  only  instance  in  which  we  read 
of  Xavier’s  private  attempt  upon  an  individual 
proving  ineffectual. 

He  had  better  success  with  another,  who  was 
less  tenacious,  but  who  was  not  so  liberal  to  the 
poor  as  his  means  allowed  or  as  their  necessities 
required.  This  man’s  name  was  John  Araugio: 
he  had  sailed  from  Malacca  to  Amboyna  in  com- 
pany with  the  saint,  in  consideration  of  whom  he 
had  often  kindly  relieved  many  poor  sufferers  who 
were  brought  on  shore  from  the  infected  ships; 
but,  as  the  needy  augmented,  he  began  to  fancy 
that  he  was  giving  away  too  much, — in  fact,  that 
compassion  for  others  was  making  him  cruel  to 
himself.  Xavier  at  last  no  longer  ventured  to  ap- 
peal to  him  : he  sent  now  one,  and  now  another, 
when  he  felt  himself  obliged  to  seek  his  aid.  On 
one  of  these  occasions  he  sent  Francis  Pallia  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  211 

beg  a flask  of  Portuguese  wine  for  a poor  man 
whose  debility  required  some  assistance  of  the 
sort.  Araugio  gave  it,  it  is  true,  but  murmured 
sadly,  and  bade  Pallia  not  to  apply  to  him  any 
more;  that  what  he  had  he  meant  to  keep;  adding 
that  he  had  not  brought  wine  from  Malacca  to 
supply  all  the  poor  at  Amboyna:  besides,  when 
his  little  stock  became  exhausted,  where  was  he 
to  look  for  more  ? The  messenger  returned  with 
the  wine,  and  repeated  the  words  of  the  giver. 
The  saint  colored  up,  and  with  a holy  zeal  ex- 
claimed, “What  does  Araugio  think  of?  Does  he 
expect  to  drink  all  his  wine  himself?  Will  he 
refuse  it  to  Christ  that  he  may  keep  it  all  for  him- 
self? No!  no!  he  is  mistaken:  he  will  come  to 
the  end  of  his  life  before  he  comes  to  the  end  of 
his  cask : this  is  the  last  soil  he  will  ever  look 
upon,  and,  when  he  is  dead,  whatever  he  has  will 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  poor  in  spite  of  himself.” 
Xavier  not  only  foretold  this  to  Pallia,  but  also  to 
the  man  himself.  Nor  was  it  long  ere  the  fact 
was  verified : he  warned  him  of  his  approaching 
death,  exhorted  him  to  give  with  merit  what  in  a 
very  short  time  he  would  have  to  leave  by  com- 
pulsion. Xavier  soon  afterward  set  out  from  Am- 
boyna, and  Araugio  tried  to  make  arrangements 
to  sail  with  him ; but  as  the  vessel  was  too  small, 
or  already  too  well  laden,  to  admit  all  his  effects, 
he  was  obliged  to  remain  where  he  was.  A few 
days  after  the  saint’s  arrival  at  Ternate,  as  he  was 
celebrating  mass,  he  suddenly  turned  round  at  the 
altar  and  said,  “Pray  for  John  Araugio,  who  has 
just  expired  at  Amboyna.  I offered  mass  for  him 
yesterday,  and  I likewise  do  so  to-day : do  you 


212 


THE  LIFE  OF 


also  join  with  me  in  recommending  his  soul  tc 
God.”  The  persons  present  were  astounded  at  this 
announcement,  wondering  how  he  could  have  re- 
ceived the  news  from  such  a distance,  as  there  are 
two  hundred  and  seventy  miles  of  sea  between 
Ternate  and  Amboyna;  but,  presuming  the  affair 
to  have  been  revealed  to  him  by  God,  they  made 
a memorandum  of  the  day  and  hour  he  announced 
the  event,  to  compare  it  with  future  accounts  from 
the  place  itself.  In  twelve  days  the  news  was 
confirmed,  not  only  by  the  letters  of  John  d’Eiro, 
but  likewise  by  Raphael  Carvalho,  who  was  present 
at  Araugio’s  death,  which  was  ascertained  to  have 
occurred  at  the  moment  the  saint  announced  it 
from  the  altar. 

The  mortality  having  ceased  in  the  two  fleets, 
which,  as  the  season  was  now  favorable,  took  their 
departure  for  Goa,  Xavier’s  charity  found  means 
of  supplying  the  more  immediate  necessities  of 
the  poor  survivors,  by  procuring  subsidies  from 
bis  pious  friends : he  moreover  wrote  to  Father 
Di  Camerino  at  Goa,  warmly  recommending  to 
him  some  religious  of  the  order  of  St.  Austin,  ac- 
companying the  fleet,  eulogizing  them  as  men  of 
eminent  virtue. 

He  predicted  of  a certain  ship,  which  sailed 
with  the  fleet,  that  it  would  meet  with  disasters; 
and  so  indeed  she  did.  In  the  first  place,  she  struck 
upon  a rock  and  broke  her  rudder,  after  which 
she  was  stranded  on  the  coast  of  Ceylon,  from 
’-lienee  her  escape  was  little  less  than  miraculous. 

Whilst  the  vessel  which  was  to  convey  him  to 
the  Moluccas  was  preparing,  he  visited  some  of 
the  neighboring  islands,  everywhere  spreading  his 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  213 

nets  and  catching  souls.  As  he  was  crossing  over 
to  one  of  these  islands,  called  Baramura,  a re- 
markable circumstance  occurred,  which  we  will 
relate  in  the  words  of  his  companion,  Faustus  Ro- 
driguez, a Portuguese,  who,  as  well  as  seven  other 
eye-witnesses,  attested  it  on  oath.  “ Father  Fran- 
cis, John  Raposa,  and  I were  sailing  in  a car- 
racca,  [a  vessel  peculiar  to  these  countries,  and 
but  ill  qualified  to  resist  a storm,]  when  suddenly 
a terrible  tempest  arose,  and  the  sailors,  though 
natives  and  accustomed  to  these  coasts,  gave  them- 
selves up  for  lost.  But  Father  Francis,  taking  off 
his  crucifix,  which  he  always  wears  suspended  at 
his  breast,  and  leaning  over  the  side  of  the  vessel, 
dipped  the  cross  into  the  sea ; whereupon  the 
storm  immediately  ceased.  Unfortunately,  by  some 
means  or  other,  the  cord  either  slipped  from  his 
fingers  or  became  unfastened;  for  the  crucifix  dis- 
appeared in  the  waves.  Great  was  the  consterna- 
tion of  the  holy  father,  who  appeared  inconsolable 
at  his  loss.  On  the  following  day  we  landed  on 
the  isle  of  Baramura,  and  from  thence  passed  on 
to  the  territory  of  Talem,  whither  the  ship  was 
bound.  Twenty-four  hours  intervened  between 
the  loss  of  the  crucifix  and  our  landing,  and  during 
the  whole  of  this  time  the  sea  had  been  rough. 
On  disembarking,  Father  Francis  and  I walked 
along  the  shore  in  the  direction  of  Talem,  and  had 
proceeded  about  five  hundred  paces,  when  we  both 
saw  a crab  issue  from  the  sea,  carrying  the  iden- 
tical crucifix  upright,  securely  fixed  in  its  claws. 
The  creature  made  its  way  toward  Francis,  I 
being  at  the  time  close  at  his  side.  The  father 
knelt  down,  and  the  crab  remained  quite  quiet  be- 


214 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fore  him  until  he  had  taken  away  the  cross,  when 
it  turned  round  and  was  soon  lost  sight  of  in  the 
sea.  After  repeatedly  kissing  his  lost  treasure, 
he  remained  as  he  was,  with  his  arms  crossed  on 
his  breast,  in  prayer  for  a full  half-hour,  I gladly 
joining  with  him  in  returning  thanks  to  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  for  this  striking  miracle.  Then, 
rising  up,  we  pursued  our  journey.” 

They  remained  a week  in  Talem,  and  again  set 
sail  for  Rosalao,  where  Xavier  immediately  began 
to  preach  to  the  idolatrous  people;  but  so  brutalized 
were  they  in  the  vilest  of  vices  that  they  turned  a 
deaf  ear  to  his  words,  and  of  the  whole  island  he 
only  gained  one  soul  to  Jesus  Christ : hence,  on 
taking  his  departure,  he  slipped  off  his  shoes,  and 
shook  them  roughly,  in  order  that  he  might  not 
carry  with  him  even  the  dust  of  such  an  accursed 
soil.  It  is  true  to  say,  the  one  whom  he  did  con- 
vert was  worth  many.  At  his  baptism  the  saint 
gave  him  his  own  name,  Francis ; and,  being  en- 
lightened by  God  as  to  the  future  of  this  man,  he 
foretold  that  he  would  die  piously,  ejaculating  the 
holy  name  of  Jesus.  The  prophecy  became  fa 
mous,  and  the  fulfilment  of  it  was  watched  with 
much  curiosity.  It  was  verified  forty-two  years 
afterward.  The  man  entered  the  army,  and  served 
the  Portuguese  in  several  campaigns, — when,  in 
an  engagement  between  the  Portuguese  and  some 
Indians,  he  was  mortally  wounded,  and  was  con- 
veyed to  the  camp  for  necessary  care.  Great 
numbers,  both  of  Portuguese  and  Indians,  sur- 
rounded his  death-bed,  some  from  devotion,  some 
from  curiosity  and  to  see  whether  the  prophecy 
of  Xavier  would  be  verified, — as  it  literally  was; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


215 


for  the  wounded  soldier  retained  his  senses  to  the 
last,  and  showed  deep  feelings  of  devotion,  inces- 
santly repeating,  “ Jesus,  help  me!”  and  actually 
expired  with  these  words  on. his  lips. 

If  the  saint  gained  but  one  soul,  as  we  have  re- 
marked, in  the  island  of  Rosalao,  very  different 
success  awaited  him  at  Ulate,  one  of  the  eleven 
Isles  comprised  under  the  one  common  name  of 
Amboy na.  He  found  the  country  in  arms,  and 
the  king  closely  besieged.  He  was  on  the  point 
of  surrendering,  not  from  want  of  courage  or  from 
want  of  ammunition,  but  because  the  enemy  had 
broken  up  the  conduits  which  supplied  the  town 
with  water;  and  as  it  was  now  the  dry  season, 
when  there  was  no  probability  of  a drop  of  rain, 
and  as  the  heat  was  intense,  and  the  people  were 
actually  dying  of  thirst,  the  only  chance  of  saving 
1 their  lives  rested  on  their  immediate  surrender. 

I To  Xavier  this  seemed  a fine  opportunity  of  gain- 
ing innumerable  souls  to  Christ,  which  he  had  no 
doubt  of  doing  if  he  procured  for  the  poor  besieged 
that  succor  which  for  the  present  was  entirely  in 
the  hands  of  their  enemies.  Full  of  humble  yet 
generous  confidence  in  God,  he  found  means  of,  pe- 
netrating the  barriers,  and  was  led  before  the  king, 
whom  he  at  once  promised  to  assist,  not  with  arms, 
i,  but  with  water,  (the  only  thing  he  stood  in  need 
of,)  provided  he  would  allow  him  to  erect  a cross 
in  the  middle  of  the  town,  and  would  trust  in  the 
God  whom  he  was  come  expressly  to  announce, — 
assuring  him  that  God,  being  the  Lord  of  nature, 
could  send  him  rain  though  out  of  season ; Xavier 
stipulating  that  if  this  promise  were  fulfilled,  and 
water  given,  the  king  should  pledge  himself  te 


216 


THE  LIFE  OF 


receive  baptism,  together  with  all  the  people  de 
pendent  on  his  crown.  Knowing  his  case  to  be 
desperate,  the  king  readily  consented,  and  solemnly 
gave  his  word  to  all  the  demands  of  the  saint.  A 
large  cross  was  constructed,  decorated  in  the  best 
manner  which  existing  circumstances  permitted, 
and  was  planted  in  a conspicuous  place,  amidst  a 
sea  of  wondering  faces;  for  the  novelty  of  the 
sight  attracted  vast  crowds  to  the  spot.  Xavier 
knelt  down  before  it  and  prayed  most  fervently, 
reminding  Almighty  God  of  the  merits  of  the 
death  of  Christ,  symbolized  by  that  cross,  and  be- 
seeching his  fatherly  compassion  not  to  refuse  a 
drop  of  rain  to  the  necessities  of  these  poor  j 
people,  seeing  that  the  favor  would  only  cost  him 
an  act  of  his  will,  the  concession  of  which  would 
lead  to  the  salvation  of  innumerable  souls,  for  \ 
whom  his  divine  Son  had  shed  his  blood. 

Whilst  Xavier  was  thus  praying,  dark  clouds  J 
were  rapidly  collecting,  and  a plentiful  rain  re-  j 
lieved  the  anxiety  of  the  now  exulting  islanders,  I 
who  filled  their  water-vessels  and  furnished  them-  | 
selves  abundantly.  Their  enemies,  who  depended  I 
on  subduing  them  by  thirst,  lost  all  hope,  and,  j 
raising  the  siege,  returned  to  their  own  country,  r 
Convinced  of  the  truth  by  so  evident  a miracle, 
the  king  and  all  his  subjects,  not  only  of  TJlate, 
but  also  of  other  islands  subject  to  him,  received 
baptism  at  the  hands  of  Xavier. 

The  holy  father  spent  three  months  with  these 
people,  when  a passage  to  the  Moluccas  was  of- 
fered, of  which  he  gladly  availed  himself,  and, 
leaving  John  d’Eiro  to  cultivate  the  little  church 
of  Amboyna,  he  passed  over  to  Ternate.  They 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER  217 

nad  to  traverse  a very  dangerous  gulf,  where  they 
encountered  a furious  storm.  He  was  in  one 
carracea,  and  John  Galvano,  a Portuguese  friend 
of  his,  was  in  another.  The  storm  separated  the 
two  vessels;  and  so  ill  treated  was  that  in  which 
Xavier  had  embarked  that  it  was  a miracle  he 
escaped  being  wrecked.  God,  no  doubt,  watched 
over  a life  so  precious,  and  he  reached  Ternate  in 
safety.  Not  so  the  vessel  which  carried  Galvano  : 
being  thoroughly  disabled,  she  was  left  to  the 
mercy  of  the  storm,  and  was  carried  far  away, 
but  not  so  far  as  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of  Xa- 
vier’s mental  eye,  which,  enlightened  b}~  God,  saw 
what  followed  the  separation  of  the  vessels.  The 
first  festival-day  after  his  arrival  at  Ternate,  he 
preached  as  usual,  and  in  the  middle  of  his  sermon 
he  stopped  short,  and  said,  “Recommend  to  God 
the  soul  of  John  Galvano,  drowned  in  these  seas." 
His  audience  were  dismayed  at  the  intelligence, 
not  only  from  compassion  for  Galvano,  but  likewise 
because  several  of  them  had  invested  property  in 
the  vessel  which  carried  him.  In  hopes  that  he 
might  be  mistaken,  and  that  he  was  merety  hazard- 
ing a conjecture,  they  made  inquiries  of  the  sailors 
who  had  brought  over  Xavier  whether  they  had 
heard  any  tidings  of  the  missing  ship, — who  an- 
swered that  they  knew  nothing  more  than  that 
the  two  vessels  had  parted  company  in  the  chan- 
nel. This  somewhat  reassured  the  merchants, 
who  saw  no  sufficient  reason  to  believe  either  the 
death  of  Galvano  or  the  loss  of  the  vessel.  As  to 
the  words  of  Xavier,  they  were  considered  as  a 
supposition,  rather  than  as  a prophecy;  so  easily  do 
we  persuade  ourselves  to  believe  what  we  wish  to 
19 


218 


THE  LIFE  OF 


be  true.  Nevertheless,  they  were  soon  unde- 
ceived ; for  before  the  end  of  three  days  the  sea 
cast  ashore  bodies,  oars,  merchandise,  and  rem- 
nants of  the  ship,  which  plainly  showed  how  com- 
pletely she  had  been  wrecked.  This  prophecy, 
coupled  with  that  already  related  of  Araugio,  and 
details  of  his  other  miracles  wrought  in  India, 
which  casual  travellers  circulated  through  these 
isles,  caused  him  to  be  very  highly  thought  of  by 
idolaters  as  well  as  Christians.  And,  in  truth,  it  was 
quite  necessary  that  he  should  be  thus  revered,  not 
only  to  give  credit  to  his  efforts  for  reforming  the 
licentious  mode  of  life  everywhere  prevalent  in 
those  parts,  but  even  to  secure  himself  a hearing 
from  persons  whose  thoughts,  so  far  from  being 
of  God,  were  wholly  given  to  the  things  of  this 
world,  love  of  money,  love  of  dominion,  and  love 
of  sensual  pleasure.  To  give  an  idea  of  the  suc- 
cessful result  of  Xavier’s  labors  and  apostolic  zeal, 
it  will  suffice  to  repeat  what  he  himself  wrote, — 
namely,  that  when  he  quitted  Ternate,  so  far  as  he 
knew,  he  only  left  two  persons  in  the  state  of  mor- 
tal sin.  Surprising  were  the  restitutions  of  ill- 
gotten  property  and  the  reconciliations  between 
the  most  inevterate  enemies;  and  the  same  may 
be  said  with  regard  to  other  vices  still  more  com- 
mon and  more  flagrant.  He  was  incessantly  oc- 
cupied in  hearing  confessions,  administering  the 
other  sacraments,  preaching,  catechizing  little 
children, — things,  altogether  new  in  this  place. 

Here,  as  at  Malacca,  he  used  to  go  through  the 
town  every  evening,  ringing  his  little  bell,  and 
calling  on  the  people  to  pray  for  the  dead,  and  foi 
the  living  who  were  in  mortal  sin. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


219 


As  lie  nimself  says,  it  was  truly  a subject  of 
gratitude  to  God  to  see  the  eagerness  with  which 
men  and  women,  as  well  as  children,  joined  in  the 
praises  of  God:  children  in  the  streets,  women  in 
their  houses,  laborers  in  the  fields,  fishermen  in 
their  boats,  all  laid  aside  their  idle  songs,  substi- 
tuting in  their  place  the  Apostles’  Creed,  the  Pater- 
noster, the  Ave  Maria , the  Confiteor , the  Command- 
ments, the  works  of  mercy,  and  other  such  pious 
prayers,  which  had  been  translated  into  their  own 
dialect  in  a form  easily  intelligible  to  all.  This 
was,  generally,  his  first  task  on  his  arrival  in  any 
new  country, — well  knowing  that  he  was  training 
up  as  many  masters  as  he  could  teach  the  above- 
described  psalmody  to;  because,  when  once  learned, 
the  pagan  children  would  sing  them  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  so  attract  the  notice  of  those  who  heard 
them,  and  then,  the  curiosity  of  the  latter  being 
excited,  they  would  naturally  require  further  ex- 
planation, till  by  degrees  they  would  be  won  over 
to  the  truth. 

He  effected  numberless  conversions  in  the  Mo- 
luccas, among  which  one,  as  being  so  glorious  to 
Xavier,  deserves  a special  notice.  It  is  that  of 
Neachil,  daughter  of  Almazor,  King  of  Tidor,  and 
wife  of  Boliefe,  King  of  Termite, — a princess  of 
noble  soul,  strong  mind,  and  well  versed  in  the 
mysteries  of  her  own  sect.  Above  all,  she  bore  a 
mortal  hatred  to  the  Christians, — a circumstance 
which  renders  her  conversion  all  the  more  re- 
markable. Her  enmity  to  the  Christians  can  be 
easily  accounted  for.  When  Europeans  for  the 
first  time  landed  in  her  dominions,  she  had  received 
them  like  brothers,  gave  them  land,  and  permitted 


220 


THE  LIFE  OF 


them  to  build  a fortress.  In  return  for  her  hospi- 
tality, they  took  the  government  out  of  her  hands, 
first  imprisoned  and  afterward  put  to  death  her 
three  sons,  the  lawful  heirs  to  her  throne.  Xavier 
considered  her  all  the  more  deserving  of  the  com- 
passion of  Almighty  God,  as  she  had  been  so  un- 
justly treated  by  man.  He  found  means  of  seeing 
her,  and  spoke,  as  he  so  well  knew  how,  of  the 
grandeurs  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  of  the  facility 
with  which  we  may  secure  them,  of  the  happiness 
of  those  who  enjo\r  them  beyond  all  danger  of  ever 
losing  them,  together  with  the  misfortune  of  being 
eternally  deprived  of  them,  that  the  wise  queen, 
who  had  no  longer  any  thing  to  hope  for  on  earth, 
began  to  turn  her  desires  toward  heaven.  How- 
ever, as  she  was  a proficient  in  the  principles  of 
Mohammed,  she  would  have  several  disputations 
with  the  saint  before  she  surrendered;  and  these 
only  served  to  strengthen  her  the  more  when  once 
her  eyes  became  open  to  the  light,  of  the  gospel. 
The «gra<  God  and  the  arguments  of  the  saint 
at  last  t-i  aphed,  and  he  had  the  indescribable 
consolation  of  baptizing  her, — when  he  gave  her 
the  name  of  Isabella. 

As  he  knew  her  to  be  a woman  of  superior  mind 
and  noble  heart,  capable  of  advancing  far  in  the 
w:  's  of  spirituality,  he  continued  instructing  her 
w;  i special  care,  leading  her  on  step  b y step,  till 
sli  proved  herself  in  truth  the  worthy  disciple  of 
a most  worthy  master,  leading  a life  of  great 
humility,  retirement,  and  prayer,  bearing  her  ad- 
versities with  admirable  patience  and  fortitude, 
and  spending  her  time  in  works  of  Christian  piety; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  221 

insomuch  that  she  was  more  respected  now  than 
at  the  time  when  she  became  a queen. 

Religion  seemed  to  be  progressing  so  favorably 
in  the  Moluccas  that  the  holy  father  thought  he 
might  now  safely  carry  into  effect  a project  which 
had  long  been  lurking  in  his  heart;  that  is  to  say, 
to  introduce  the  name  and  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 
into  the  much-dreaded  kingdom  of  Moro.  No 
sooner  did  his  intention  become  known,  than  it 
was  universally  and  vigorously  opposed  : no  heart 
less  apostolically  zealous  than  his  own  could  have 
triumphed  over  obstacles  apparently  so  insur- 
mountable. The  mere  fact  of  his  sailing  to  that 
island  seemed  to  the  Christians  of  Ternate  like 
rushing  to  certain  death:  the  natives  were  such 
decided  cannibals  as  not  even  to  spare  their  own 
immediate  relatives : what  chance,  then,  had  he, 
a stranger?  His  being  under  the  protection  of 
Portugal  would  avail  him  naught,  for  the  Portu- 
guese never  went  there  either  for  traffic  or  to  pur- 
chase provisions:  the  soil  was  so  barren,  and,  as 
we  may  say,  so  accursed  by  nature,  as  to  be  better 
suited  to  wild  beasts  than  to  human  beings : rocky 
mountains,  brackish  water,  sulphureous  atmo- 
sphere, dreadful  earthquakes,  immense  volcanoes 
discharging  stones  and  showers  of  ashes, — all  com- 
bine to  render  this  one  of  the  most  ill-favored  of 
lands.  But  all  these  disadvantages  were  not  able 
to  deter  him.  Others  equally  formidable  were 
added  to  the  list.  What  was  to  be  hoped  from 
men  who  devoured  their  fellow-men  ? from  men 
whose  only  study  was  to  prepare  poisons,  and 
whose  only  discourse  was  treachery?  Who  would 
be  his  guide  through  the  forests  and  caves,  where 
19* 


222 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  natives  nestle  together  like  beasts,  and  from 
whence  they  teach  their  children  to  shoot  boars, 
as  a preparation  to  their  shooting  men  ? How 
would  he  find  means  of  instilling  principles  of  re- 
ligion into  hearts  which  as  yet  were  scarcely  open 
to  the  instincts  of  nature?  He  would  have  first 
to  transform  them  from  brutes  into  men,  and  then 
from  men  into  Christians  : before  this  could  be  ac- 
complished, they  must  be  divested  of  their  savage 
fierceness,  of  their  obscenities,  dishonesty,  treach- 
ery, cruelty,  and  a thousand  other  vices,  which  are 
born  with  them,  as  we  may  say,  and  which  grow 
with  their  growth.  What  hope,  then,  could  he 
have?  But  supposing  that  he  should  succeed: 
supposing  that  he  changed  them  into  men,  and 
into  Christians:  how  long  would  they  remain  so? 
so  long  as  he  remained  with  them,  and  no  longer, 
— after  which,  who  would  be  able  to  influence  them? 
who  else  would  have  his  courage,  or  his  power? 
The  blood  of  Peter  Yaz,  a Portuguese  priest, 
treacherously  slain  by  them,  was  as  yet  scarcely 
dry : what  safety,  then,  had  he  ? Nor  need  he 
flatter  himself  with  the  idea  of  dying  a martyr, 
for  they  would  slaughter  him  from  a mere  love  of 
cruelty,  not  in  hatred  of  religion,  which  they  knew 
nothing  at  all  about.  There  were  other  islands  in 
those  parts  by  the  thousand  : why  not  go  and  pro- 
mulgate the  law  of  God  among  those,  where  it 
might  be  done  with  fruit?  Why  throw  away  his 
own  life,  and  the  salvation  of  so  many  others,  for 
an  uncertain  hope,  or,  rather,  on  a positively  des- 
perate case?  These  arguments  are  no  fictions 
of  the  writer:  they  were  really  adduced  by  the 
Christians  of  Ternate,  who  loved  Xavier  like  a 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIEli.  223 

father  and  revered  him  as  a saint;  and,  in  dread 
of  any  misfortune  befalling  him,  they  vied  with 
each  other  in  their  remonstrances,  to  which  were 
added  tears  and  entreaties,  in  hopes  of  dissuading 
him  from  his  purpose.  But,  finding  their  entreaties 
unavailing,  they  had  recourse  to  force,  and  induced 
the  Governor  of  Ternate  to  forbid,  under  penalty, 
any  vessel  or  any  sailor  to  convey  Father  Francis 
to  the  isle  of  Moro.  Xavier  was  much  displeased, 
loudly  complained  of  their  little  regard  for  God’s 
glory,  and,  entering  the  pulpit,  spoke  with  such 
vehemence  and  fervor  on  the  deplorable  condition 
of  that  pagan  people,  that  not  only  was  the  pro- 
hibition to  his  departure  withdrawn,  but  numbers 
of  his  hearers  generously  offered  to  accompany 
him  and  share  his  fate,  even  unto  death,  if  the 
case  required  it.  “ Who/’  exclaimed  Xavier,  “ shall 
dare  to  limit  the  power  of  God?  Why  have  so 
little  appreciation  of  his  grace  ? Whatever  might 
be  the  obduracy  of  those  hearts,  the  roughness  of 
their  minds,  and  the  brutality  of  their  characters, 
the  gentle  yet  incontestable  power  of  the  Most 
High  was  equal  to  the  task  of  softening  and  domes- 
ticating them:  nothing  was  impossible  to  Him 
who  could  render  a dry  rod  fertile,  and  who  from 
stones  could  raise  up  children  to  Abraham.  Poor 
of  heart  and  blind  of  soul  as  they  are!  Would  a 
foot  of  land  resist  Him  who  had  converted  the 
wmrld  to  the  faith,  and  who  had  subjected  empires 
to  the  dominion  of  his  law?  Would  the  isle  of 
Moro,  above  all  others,  ever  remain  sterile  in  the 
hand  of  God?  Was  its  soil  never  to  be  enriched? 
was  our  Savior’s  cross  never  to  produce  fruits  of 
salvation  there?  And  when  the  Eternal  Father 


224 


THE  LIFE  OF 


presented  all  nations  to  the  Eternal  Son  as  nis 
inheritance,  was  it  to  be  supposed  that  he  excluded 
the  people  of  Moro?  Admitting  them  to  be  uncul- 
tured, savage,  bestial,  and  even  worse,  these  very 
disadvantages  taught  him  to  distrust  his  own 
powers,  yet  to  hope  for  all  from  God,  from  whom 
alone  we  can  receive  aid  and  strength  proportioned 
to  the  exigencies  of  the  case.  And  since  their  well- 
known  barbarity  and  malice  deterred  others  from 
attempting  to  improve  them,  it  became  all  the 
more  imperative  on  him  to  undertake  the  task. 
Other  nations,  more  favored  and  less  savage, 
would  not  be  neglected;  but  these  people  were  his , 
they  belonged  peculiarly  to  him , for  no  one  else  would 
have  any  thing  to  do  with  them.  Nor  let  them 
accuse  him  of  temerity:  if  the  island  of  Moro 
abounded  with  aromatic  groves,  mountains  of  gold, 
and  rivers  of  pearls,  Christians  would  at  all  risks 
contrive  to  travel  and  traffic  there.  Now,  where 
souls  only  are  to  be  gained,  are  they  to  be  reckoned 
nothing  worth?  Shall  the  charity  of  the  Son  of 
God  give  less  courage  than  the  avarice  of  the  chil- 
dren of  men?  They  will  slay  me,  you  tell  me, 
either  by  poison  or  the  dagger : but  have  no  such 
fear : I am  undeserving  of  such  a fate  : so  great  a 
favor  is  not  granted  to  men  like  me.  Neverthe- 
less, should  this  trial  await  me,  I declare  to  you 
that  there  are  no  torments,  no  death,  for  which  I 
am  not  prepared,  and  which  I would  not  willingly 
accept,  for  the  salvation  of  even  one  single  soul. 
And  what  matters  it  that  a man  should  die,  with 
a hope  of  saving  those  for  whom  God  himself  has 
died?  Supposing  I should  be  massacred:  think 
ye  not  that  my  blood  would  be  more  powerful 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  225 

than  my  voice  in  behalf  of  these  poor  people?  In 
the  early  ages  of  the  Church,  the  seed  of  the 
gospel,  when  sown  in  the  uncultivated  fields  of 
paganism,  owed  more  to  the  blood  of  martyrs 
than  to  the  sweat  of  preachers.”  He  concluded 
by  saying  that  in  this  case  there  was  nothing  to 
be  feared  but  his  own  fear : God  called  him  there, 
and  men  should  never  deter  him  from  going. 

To  the  above  we  will  add  an  extract  from  one 
of  his  letters  to  S.  Ignatius  and  the  fathers  at 
Home,  informing  them  of  his  intended  journey  to 
the  isle  of  Moro: — “The  country  is  full  of  dangers; 
the  people  are  most  malicious  in  putting  poison  both 
in  the  food  and  beverages  which  they  give  one;  in 
consequence  of  which,  no  one  is  willing  to  expose 
himself  to  the  manifest  danger  of  death,  in  order 
to  instruct  them  in  the  faith.  I,  partly  moved  by 
the  necessity  they  are  in,  by  their  forlorn  state, 
left  without  pastors  to  instruct  and  baptize  them, 
and  partly  by  my  obligation  of  laboring  for  the 
salvation  of  my  neighbor  even  at  the  expense  of 
my  own  life,  have  decided  on  exposing  myself  to 
death,  that  I may  procure  them  eternal  life.  My 
only  hope  rests  in  God.  As  far  as  is  possible  to  my 
weakness,  I desire  to  regulate  myself  according  to 
this  sentence  of  our  Savior: — He  that  would  save 
his  soul  shall  lose  it;  but  he  who  shall  lose  his  soul 
for  my  sake  shall  find  it.  At  first  sight  these  words 
seem  clear  and  easy,  but  in  practice  they  are  apt 
to  become  obscure  and  difficult  to  comprehend; 
for  it ‘often  happens  that  when  there  is  occasion  of 
giving  one’s  life  for  God  to  find  it  again  in  him, — 
that  is  to  say,  when  some  enterprise  for  the  glory 
of  God,  but  at  the  cost  of  our  own  life,  is  to  be 
P 


226 


THE  LIFE  OF 


undertaken, — then,  what  before  seemed  clear,  some 
way  or  other,  becomes  strangely  dark  and  unintel- 
ligible,— insomuch  that  the  keenest  wits  cannot 
comprehend  it:  in  fact,  only  they  can  understand 
whom  God  by  a special  favor  undertakes  to  teach. 
It  is  precisely  such  occasions  as  these  which  show 
us  our  own  weakness  and  the  frail  and  sickly  con- 
dition of  human  nature.  Many  of  my  friends  here, 
who  are  affectionately  attached  to  me,  have  en- 
deavored by  tears  and  entreaties  to  dissuade  me 
from  sailing  to  this  dangerous  country;  but,  find- 
ing all  their  efforts  useless,  they  want  to  supply 
me  with  powerful  counter-poisons.  But  I will 
accept  nothing  of  the  sort;  for  to  load  myself 
with  all  these  remedies  would  be  no  better  than 
loading  myself  with  fears.  I need  nothing,  having 
intrusted  the  safety  of  my  life  to  the  clemency  of 
Almighty  God:  hence,  the  more  human  remedies  I 
might  take,  the  more  want  of  confidence  I should 
show  in  him.  I therefore  rendered  them  due 
thanks, — adding  that  all  I had  to  beg  of  them  was, 
that  they  would  continually  remember  me  in  their 
prayers;  which  would  be  far  more  serviceable  to 
me  than  all  the  counter-poisons  they  could  give 
me.” 

Having  disengaged  himself  from  their  useless 
entreaties  and  from  their  farewell  embraces,  they 
accompanied  him  to  the  ship,  grieving  and  weep- 
ing, as  if  they  were  never  to  see  him  again.  He 
set  sail,  together  with  a few  of  the  most  fervent 
and  best  instructed,  chosen  from  among  the  many 
who  offered  to  go  and  share  his  dangers.  A pros- 
perous wind  carried  them  rapidly  onward;  when, 
all  at  once,  Xavier  uttered  a piercing  shriek,  and 


« 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


227 


at  the  same  time,  tearing  his  habit  open  at  the 
breast,  he  exclaimed,  “O  m3"  Jesus  ! Oh,  those  un- 
fortunate creatures  massacred  there  ! Oh,  the  poor 
slaughtered  creatures !”  and  other  similar  expres- 
sions of  compassion.  Whilst  he  was  thus  lament 
ing,  he  stood  with  his  e3Tes  fixed  on  one  certain 
part  of  the  sea.  The  terrified  sailors  and  passen- 
gers crowded  round  him,  eagerly  asking  who  was 
massacred,  and  where;  for  they  saw  nothing  of  the 
sort.  He  had  been  in  a rapture,  wholly  absorbed 
in  God,  who  had  enabled  him  to  behold  that  of 
which  he  had  so  confidently  spoken.  On  recover- 
ing himself,  he  was  again  overwhelmed  with  ques- 
tions; but  he,  blushing  with  confusion  at  having 
betrayed  himself,  gave  no  answer,  and  retired  to 
pray.  The>7  were  not  long  left  in  suspense  as  to 
the  meaning  of  the  saint’s  words;  for,  on  approach- 
ing one  of  the  islands  belonging  to  the  kingdom 
of  Moro,  the}7  found  the  mangled  remains  of  eight 
Portuguese  lying  stretched  on  the  shore,  and  the3T 
then  understood  that  these  were  the  unfortunate 
men  whom  he  had  seen  in  spirit  whilst  thejT  were 
still  out  at  high  sea.  The  bodies  were  buried  on 
the  spot  where  they  were  found,  and  a cross  erected 
over  them.  After  satisfying  this  duty,  Xavier  and 
his  companions  resumed  their  vo3Tage,  and  entered 
port  without  further  accident. 

Their  reception  by  the  savages  was  more  accord- 
ing to  the  confidence  of  the  saint  than  to  the  timid- 
ity of  the  inhabitants  of  Ternate;  for,  as  they 
descended  from  the  ship,  a crowd  of  natives,  con- 
ducted no  doubt  b}-  the  impulse  of  Almighty  God, 
came  forth  to  meet  them,  with  ever}7  demonstra- 
tion of  good  will  and  respect,  crying  out,  in  theii 


228 


THE  LIFE  OF 


own  language,  “Here  is  the  holy  father!”  at  which 
he  was  much  gratified,  though  ashamed  and  con* 
fused.  He  soon  began  the  task  for  which  he  had 
gone  thither,  namely,  announcing  the  Christian 
faith  : he  traversed  the  various  villages,  stopping 
in  the  most  public  places,  and  singing  the  Apostles’ 
Creed,  and  such  other  prayers  as  he  had  translated 
into  the  Malay  dialect, — which,  though  not  the 
language  of  the  country,  was  generally  under- 
stood there.  The  novelty  of  the  thing  at  once 
excited  the  notice  of  the  savages,  who  collected 
in  groups  around  him;  and  God,  who  had  brought 
him  there  for  their  benefit,  rendered  him  extremely 
pleasing  and  affable  in  their  sight.  They  approached 
him  without  constraint,  and  his  naturally  winning 
manner,  heightened  by  charity,  disarmed  their 
malice.  He  caressed  the  children,  and  began  to 
teach  them  some  of  his  devotional  chants,  which 
seemed  to  delight  them  : it  was  doubly  satisfac- 
tory to  him,  because  he  hoped  that,  by  hearing 
them,  their  elders  might  by  degrees  seek  for  an 
explanation  of  them. 

Encouraged  by  these  beginnings,  he  next  ven- 
tured to  preach,  in  the  style  he  had  adopted  else- 
where, and  with  the  same  good  effects. 

At  first  he  baptized  only  children,  then  a few 
adults,  and  lastly  whole  villages  and  towns,  build- 
ing churches  and  planting  crosses  everywhere. 
Nor  did  he  fail  to  go  in  quest  of  the  more  savage 
part  of  the  population,  who,  like  wild  beasts,  hid 
themselves  in  their  mountain-caves. 

On  one  occasion,  a set  of  them  received  him  so 
ill  that,  had  not  God  preserved  him  by  miracle,  his 
life  would  have  been  sacrificed.  As  he  was  preach- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


229 


ing  on  the  borders  of  a river,  and  censuriig  then 
creed  and  their  way  of  living,  they  became  so  ex- 
asperated that  the}7  took  up  stones,  determined 
to  stone  him  to  death.  Escape  seemed  impossible: 
they  were  on  one  side  of  him,  and  the  broad,  deep 
stream  on  the  other.  But  God,  who  destined  him 
to  the  salvation  of  other  nations,  warned  him  to 
seek  safety,  and  gave  him  the  means  of  doing  so. 
Embedded  in  the  soil  on  the  bank  of  the  river  lay 
an  immense  beam,  to  move  which  would,  humanly 
speaking,  have  required  the  united  force  of  several 
men  ; but  he,  without  the  slightest  difficulty,  raised 
it  as  if  it  had  been  a lath,  threw  it  into  the  water, 
stepped  upon  it,  and  by  an  invisible  hand  was 
miraculously  conveyed  across  to  the  opposite  bank, 
to  the  utter  astonishment  of  the  disappointed  bar- 
barians. 

Nor  was  this  the  only  time  when  the  devils 
attempted  his  life  by  the  hands  of  these  infuriated 
idolaters.  They  raged  as  they  beheld  so  vast  a 
prey  wrested  from  them  by  our  holy  apostle.  He 
himself  was  of  opinion  that  they  were  chained  in 
hell  whilst  he  was  preaching, — an  opinion  which 
was  Confirmed  as  he  was  celebrating  mass  on  the 
festival  of  St.  Michael.  The  earth  beneath  him 
shook  violently,  so  much  so  that  he  apprehended 
the  total  overthrow  of  the  altar.  “Possibly/’  said 
he,  “St.  Michael  was  then  driving  back  to  hell, 
and  chaining  up,  the  devils  who  have  so  long 
tyrannized  over  this  unfortunate  country.”  Be 
this  as  it  may,  whether  they  were  bound  or  free, 
Xavier  took  the  country  from  them.  At  his  de- 
parture, he  left  thousands  of  Christians,  in  it.  He 
converted  the  whole  city  of  Tolo,  containing 

5ft 


230 


THE  LIFE  OF 


twenty-five  thousand  souls,  besides  several  other 
towns  and  villages  of  less  note.  And,  what  would 
appear  still  more  extraordinary,  the  faith,  when 
planted  in  those  savage  breasts,  took  such  deep 
root,  and  spread  so  widely,  that,  whereas  Xavier 
on  his  arrival  found  not  so  much  as  an  inch  of 
Christian  ground,  he  left  at  his  death  no  fewer 
than  twenty-nine  towns,  villages,  and  hamlets 
added  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  subject  to 
his  law. 

So  consoling  did  the  isle  of  Moro  prove  to  our 
holy  apostle,  that  he  used  to  say  it  ought  to  be 
called  the  Island  of  Confidence  in  God.  In  the  first 
place,  because  no  amelioration  in  the  habits  of  the 
people  could  have  been  looked  for  except  through 
the  hand  of  God;  and  also  because  Xavier  had 
placed  all  his  hopes  in  Him,  when  the  people  of 
Ternate,  moved  by  their  affection  for  him,  strove 
to  dissuade  him  from  an  enterprise  which  they  be- 
lieved would  cost  him  his  life,  or  which,  to  say  the 
least,  would  prove  utterly  fruitless. 

His  labors  here  were  not  merely  remunerated 
by  the  gain  of  souls.  Innumerable  graces  were 
showered  down  upon  him  from  heaven.  So  great 
were  the  consolations  which  filled  his  heart,  that, 
mentioning  them  in  a letter  to  S.  Ignatius,  in  his 
usual  terms  of  modest  humility,  he  gives  us  a pretty 
good  idea  of  what  they  must  have  been,  adding, 
“ I mention  these  things  to  you,  that  you  may  un- 
derstand how  completely  this  island  of  Moro 
abounds  in  consolations.  These  dangers  and  these 
voluntary  toils,  undertaken  in  the  service  of  God, 
are  an  inexhaustible  treasury  of  benedictions  to 
me.  Truly  this  is  just  the  country  to  make  me 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


231 


lose  my  eyesight  in  a few  years’  time,  so  frequent 
are  the  streams  of  sweet  tears  of  joy  called  forth 
by  a superabundance  of  divine  comfort;  nor  do  I 
remember  ever  to  have  experienced  so  much  of 
this  in  any  other  place;  nor  have  I ever  suffered 
less  from  my  labors  than  I do  here.” 

He  remained  here  for  three  months,  and  then 
returned  to  the  Moluccas,  intending  to  proceed 
from  thence  to  Goa,  in  order  to  provide  missioners 
for  these  converted  countries.  He  found  his  plans, 
however,  somewhat  frustrated;  nor  could  he  pur- 
sue his  voyage  to  Malacca  in  the  same  ship  which 
had  brought  him  back  from  Moro  to  Ternate,  as  he 
had  purposed, — the  inhabitants  of  Ternate  so  ear- 
nestly conjuring  him  to  remain  some  little  time 
with  them,  that  he  could  not  refuse  a request 
springing  from  a real  desire  of  profiting  in  soul 
by  being  further  instructed  in  the  duties  of  re- 
ligion. This  arrangement  was  a source  of  conso- 
lation to  all  parties,  and  during  the  three  months 
he  spent  here  he  produced  incalculable  fruit  in 
souls.  He  found  no  difficulty  now  either  in  lead- 
ing the  gentiles  to  baptism  or  the  Christians  to 
penance.  When  the  former  saw  the  latter  living 
according  to  the  dictates  of  religion,  they  were 
soon  disposed  to  imitate  them;  and  wTnen  tne 
latter  began  to  relish  the  sweets  of  living  in  the 
grace  and  friendship  of  God,  they  were  glad  to 
give  themselves  more  and  more  to  his  service. 

Xavier  again  resumed  his  practice  of  preaching 
twice  on  festivals, — in  the  morning  to  the  Portu- 
guese,  and  in  the  afternoon  to  the  newly-converted 
natives.  Two  days  in  the  week  were  set  apart 
for  the  separate  instruction  of  the  women,  and  the 


232 


THE  LIFE  OF 


rest  of  his  time  was  devoted  to  the  children  and  to 
the  confessional;  and  at  Easter  he  had  the  satis* 
faction  of  witnessing  a general  communion. 

One  only  consolation  was  wanting  to  the  com- 
pletion of  his  joy,  namely,  the  conversion  of  Cacile 
Aerio,  king  of  the  island.  At  some  former  epoch, 
when  the  Castilian  fleet  sailed  to  Molucca,  Jordan 
de  Freitas,  commander  of  the  fortress  of  Ternate, 
suspected  Aerio  of  treachery, — in  consequence  of 
which  he  despoiled  him  of  his  possessions  and  sent 
him  in  irons  to  Goa.  His  cause  was  brought  be- 
fore the  tribunal  of  justice,  which,  instead  of  con- 
demning the  royal  captive,  condemned  Freitas,  as 
having  acted  too  precipitately  and  without  suffi- 
cient grounds.  The  governor,  di  Castro,  declared 
the  king  innocent  and  loyal,  and  reinstated  him  in 
his  rights  and  dominions.  On  his  return,  he  was 
accompanied  b}~  Bernardine  di  Soza,  who  treated 
him  with  marked  and  public  honor,  as  some  in- 
demnification for  previous  disgrace;  whilst  Freitas 
was  compelled  to  bear  all  the  expenses  of  the 
journey,  to  restore  whatever  he  had  taken  from 
him,  and,  finally,  was  deprived  of  the  ccmmander- 
ship,  and  was  taken  back  to  Goa  in  the  very  same 
chains  with  which  he  had  unjustly  laden  Aerio. 

A similar  misfortune,  and  a similar  restitution 
of  honor  and  possessions,  had  before  occurred  to 
King  Tabaryja,  the  predecessor  of  Aerio,  who,  de- 
lighted with  the  equity  and  justice  which  he  re- 
ceived at  the  hands  of  the  Christians,  embraced 
the  faith,  and,  before  he  left  Goa  to  return  to 
Ternate,  was  solemnly  baptized.  At  his  death  he 
bequeathed  his  island  to  the  crown  of  Portugal. 

The  saint  was  in  hopes  of  the  same  good  result 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  233 

in  the  case  of  Aerio,  and  on  his  return  ho  en- 
deavored to  bring  him  to  the  knowledge  of  Jesus 
Christ.  To  gain  him  would  be  more  than  the 
mere  acquisition  of  one  soul.  Numbers  would,  no 
doubt,  follow  his  example;  for  he  was  considered  a 
man  of  superior  mind,  and  was  much  respected  by 
the  petty  kings  of  the  neighboring  islands.  At 
first  he  held  out  great  hopes,  not  onl}'  receiving 
Xavier  with  courtesy,  but  really  feeling  an  affec- 
tion for  him,  and  seemed  unwilling  to  lose  sight  of 
him.  He  would  listen  to  him  for  hours  discoursing 
on  God  and  the  mysteries  of  religion;  yet,  when 
pressed  to  receive  baptism,  his  answers  became 
evasive,  partly  promising,  but  always  finding  pre- 
texts for  delay.  The  chief,  and  perahps  the  only, 
obstacle  to  this  desirable  conquest  would  be  found 
in  his  hundred  wives.  He  could  not  make  up  his 
mind  to  what  he  called  the  rigor  of  the  Christian 
law  on  this  point;  and  he  would  argue  the  case 
most  subtly,  according  to  the  theology  of  his  sect, 
or  rather  of  his  voluptuousness.  He  said  that  the 
Christians  and  the  Mohammedans  adored  one  and 
the  same  God : how  came  it,  then,  that  God  allowed 
a Christian  but  one  wife,  whilst  he  allowed  a Sara- 
cen to  have  many  ? Whenever  he  found  his  argu- 
ments fail,  he  returned  to  his  former  promises,  and 
began  to  give  the  saint  fresh  hopes;  for  he  was 
evidently  unwilling  to  lose  either  the  friendship  of 
Xavier  or  the  salvation  of  his  so\J.  But  being 
unable  to  couple  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  with 
that  of  Mohammed,  or  the  spirit  with  the  flesh, 
he  was  like  a man  in  a muddy  ditch;  as  one  foot 
makes  an  effort  to  get  out,  the  other  sinks  more 
20* 


234 


THE  LIFE  OF 


deeply  in.  Aerio  remained  to  the  last  in  the  sen- 
sual abominations  peculiar  to  his  sect. 

The  utmost  that  could  be  obtained  from  him 
was  a promise,  on  the  word  of  a king,  that  if  the 
Portuguese  would  secure  the  succession  of  the  isle 
of  Moro  to  his  son  he  would  then  become  a Chris- 
tian: but  even  here  again  he  broke  his  word. 
His  son  was  made  king,  and  was  allowed  to  be 
baptized  : nevertheless,  a sanguinary  persecution 
was  raised  against  his  Christian  subjects,  and 
against  the  Portuguese,  whom  he  did  his  best  to 
injure  in  return  for  their  benefits : he  was  the  sole 
rnachinator  of  the  fearful  tragedy  an  account  of 
which  will  be  given  later. 

The  zeal  and  labors  of  St.  Francis  Xavier  at  the 
court  of  Aerio  were  not  fruitless  : two  of  the  king's 
sisters  were  converted  to  the  faith,  and  soon  after- 
ward their  example  was  followed  by  other  princes 
of  the  blood. 

He  now  thought  it  time  to  go  to  other  places 
whither  pressing  necessities  called  him.  His  in- 
genious charity,  however,  devised  means  of  stay- 
ing there,  as  we  may  say,  notwithstanding  his  de- 
parture, and  cf  carrying  the  people  with  him, 
though  they  still  remained  at  home.  The  first 
was  accomplished  by  means  of  a long  instruction 
which  he  composed  in  the  Malay  tongue, — an  in- 
struction comprising  all  that  was  necessary  to  be 
believed  and  practised  by  good  Christians;  and 
this  he  bequeathed  to  the  people  of  Ternate  to 
supply  in  his  stead,  desiring  them  to  circulate  it 
through  the  neighboring  islands,  where  it  proved 
of  great  service  and  benefit.  Numberless  copies 
of  it  were  taken,  which  were  universally  read 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


235 


(even  after  his  death)  in  their  public  assemblies. 
The  very  children  committed  them  to  memory, 
and  sang  them  aloud  as  they  ran  about  the  streets. 
Then,  for  the  latter,  he  selected  a number  of 
youths,  of  the  best  disposition  and  talents,  their 
parents  willingly  resigning  them  to  him.  and  these 
youths  he  took  with  him  to  Goa,  to  be  educated  in 
the  seminary  there,  after  which  they  would  return 
to  the  Moluccas  and  become  teachers  of  the  faith 
among  their  compatriots.  Having  thus  arranged 
the  affairs  of  religion  here,  he  began  to  prepare  for 
his  departure,  if  not  furtively,  at  least  as  secretly 
as  he  could,  in  order  to  spare  the  feelings  of  his 
beloved  children,  who  could  not  bear  so  much  as 
an  allusion  to  his  absence  from  them.  He  hoped 
to  get  on  board  unobserved,  and  then  to  set  sail  in 
the  middle  of  the  night;  but  the  attempt  failed, 
too  many  eyes  being  eagerly  on  the  watch.  A 
report  was  spread  that  a vessel  was  ready  to  sail, 
and  that  the  holy  father  was  going  to  leave  them; 
whereupon  men,  women,  and  children  rushed  down 
to  the  shore  in  search  of  him.  As  soon  as  he  ap- 
peared in  sight,  he  was  surrounded  by  his  weep- 
ing, sorrowing  neophytes,  some  kissing  his  hands, 
others  his  feet,  and  all  entreating  him  to  bless 
them.  Finding  him  resolute  in  his  purpose  of 
going,  they  besought  him  to  return  once  more,  at 
least,  to  see  them.  He  was  quite  as  much  affected 
as  they  were;  and  he  promised  that,  if  unable  to 
return  to  them  himself,  he  would  send  some  of  his 
companions,  whom  he  had  already  summoned 
from  India  for  this  purpose,  assuring  them  that  he 
carried  them  all  in  his  heart,  and  that  he  would 
never  forget  them  before  God.  On  entering  the 


236 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ship,  he  again  blessed  them,  and  bade  them  fare- 
well. 

Amiable  indeed  was  the  sanctity  of  this  man  of 
. God ; and,  severe  as  he  was  to  himself,  he  was  all 
affability  to  others.  The  most  affectionate  of 
fathers  could  not  have  loved  his  offspring  more 
than  Xavier  loved  his  spiritual  children  : wild  and 
savage  as  most  of  them  were,  they  were  never- 
theless his  sons,  and,  as  such,  excessively  dear  to 
him.  He  seemed,  as  it  were,  transformed  into  one 
of  themselves,  so  completely  did  he  adapt  himself 
to  their  customs  and  wishes,  caring  for  nothing  but 
their  welfare,  and  winning  them  to  himself  that 
he  might  make  an  offering  of  them  to  God. 

The  vessel  in  which  he  sailed  was  bound  to  Ma- 
lacca, touching  at  Amboyna  on  the  way.  Here 
he  remained  some  days,  not  for  the  sake  of  rest 
after  a voyage  of  about  seventy  leagues,  but  be- 
cause he  hoped  to  benefit  the  souls  of  some  Por- 
tuguese forming  the  crews  of  four  ships  at  anchor 
there.  For  the  most  part,  they  were  men  who 
concerned  themselves  little  or  nothing  about  the 
affairs  of  eternity : however,  as  Easter  was  just 
past,  and,  having  been  out  at  sea,  they  had  no  op- 
portunity of  complying  with  their  Easter  duties, 
he  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity,  and  re- 
minded them  that  it  was  time  for  them  to  have  re- 
course to  the  holy  sacraments.  On  disembarking, 
he  erected  a hut  of  boughs  and  leaves  on  the  sea- 
shore, the  ground  serving  for  his  couch,  and  sub- 
sisted on  the  few  broken  crusts  of  bread  which 
from  time  to  time  he  begged  here  and  there  as  he 
could.  Here  he  resumed  his  accustomed  exercises 
of  charity,  expelling  scandals,  reconciling  enemies, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  237 

and  hastening  whithersoever  his  preset  ee  conic 
prevent  sin  or  give  encouragement  to  virtue. 

Among  many  others,  he  had  the  satisfaction  of 
gaining  an  unfortunate  soldier,  in  danger  of  losing 
his  soul  by  sin,  and  his  life  by  illness,  which  was 
of  a dangerous  nature  and  had  already  reduced 
him  to  extremity.  Xavier  brought  him  to  senti 
ments  of  such  true  contrition,  that,  when  he  ex- 
pired, the  saint  raised  his  eyes  (streaming  with 
tears  of  joy)  to  heaven,  and  exclaimed,  “ Blessed 
be  God,  who  brought  me  here  just  in  time  to  gain 
this  soul ! ” This  ejaculation  gave  rise  to  the  be- 
lief that  our  Lord  had  revealed  to  him  the  sal- 
vation of  this  poor  soldier.  Here  too,  though  at 
so  great  a distance  apart,  he  was  enabled  to  behold 
in  spirit  the  necessity  of  encouragement  and  sup- 
port in  which  the  soul  of  Diego  Egidio  then  was. 
He  had  left  him  in  full  health  at  Ternate  not  long 
before;  and  now  he  was  so  near  death  that,  as 
Xavier  was  in  the  act  of  preaching,  he  suddenly 
stopped  short,  and,  as  if  he  actuall}7-  saw  him  on 
the  point  of  expiring,  he  said,  aloud,  “Brethren, 
let  us  pray  for  our  Diego  Egidio,  now  agonizing 
in  the  Moluccas !”  He  said  no  more ; but  in  a 
short  time  news  arrived  of  the  young  man’s  death. 

After  remaining  about  three  weeks  at  Amboyna, 
the  four  Portuguese  ships  turned  their  prows  to- 
ward Malacca;  and,  finding  that  Xavier  wns  also 
bound  thither,  earnest  were  the  entreaties  of  the 
crew  and  passengers  belonging  to  one  of  them,  a 
merchantman,  that  he  would  take  his  passage  on 
board  of  it,  as  being  safer  and  better  rigged  than 
the  others.  But  he  was  of  a contrary  opinion,  in 
consequence  of  the  demerits  of  some  who  sailed 


238 


THE  LIFE  OF 


in  it;  and  he  expressly  said  to  Gonzalo  Fernandez, 
“I  see  this  ship  in  great  danger.  May  God  pre- 
serve her!”  This  remark  was  useful,  terrifying 
some  into  amendment,  who  would  otherwise  have 
remained  as  they  were.  His  prophecy  was  accom- 
plished, though  the  vessel  eventually  braved  her 
trials.  In  passing  the  Strait  of  Sabaan  she  struck 
upon  a hidden  rock,  but  escaped  as  if  by  miracle, 
with  nothing  worse  than  the  unchaining  of  her 
rudder  and  the  breaking  of  some  hinges  or  hooks. 

Xavier  remained  at  Amboyna,  visiting  the  seven 
Christian  villages  already  established  there,  erect- 
ing churches  and  planting  crosses  to  satisfy  the 
piety  of  the  faithful.  For  some  time  past  the  sea- 
son had  been  exceedingly  dry,  so  that  the  country 
was  quite  parched  up,  and  there  was  every  pros- 
pect of  great  scarcity  of  provisions.  Certain  mean 
women,  who  before  their  baptism  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  use  incantations  when  they  wanted  rain, 
seduced  by  the  devil  and  by  the  evil  counsels  of 
necessity,  returned  to  the  black  art : unfortu- 
nately, too,  an  idol  happened  to  be  close  at  hand; 
so,  assembling  round  it,  they  performed  their  im- 
pious solemnities,  adoring  the  devil  with  their 
usual  conjurations,  though  with  no  other  success 
than  loading  thair  souls  with  the  execrable  sacri- 
lege. The  circumstance  came  to  the  knowledge 
of  another  Christian  woman,  of  much  better  con- 
science, who  scolded  the  others  most  severely. 
“ What,”  exclaimed  she,  “have  we  no  better  re- 
source than  that  ? Have  we  not  the  cross,  planted 
almost  at  our  very  doors  by  the  holy  father,  with 
a promise  of  obtaining  whatever  we  asked  for  at 
the  foot  of  this  cross?”  And,  taking  them  with 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER  239 

her  to  the  spot,  she  and  they  knelt  down  together, 
beseeching  Almighty  God  to  have  compassion  on 
them,  and  to  shame  the  idol  by  sending  them  a 
supply  of  water.  Our  Lord  heard  their  prayer 
though  many  of  them  deserved  lightning  more 
than  water.  The  sky  immediately  became  over- 
cast, and  rain  fell  in  abundance.  Then  the  wo- 
men, with  their  faithful  reprover  at  their  head, 
went  in  a body,  and,  tearing  the  idol  from  the 
altar,  dragged  it  about  in  the  mud,  kicked  it, 
broke  it  in  pieces,  and  flung  the  fragments  in  the 
river,  exclaiming,  “ Away  with  thee  ! we  can  give 
thee  a river  of  water,  whereas  thou  couldst  not 
give  us  so  much  as  a drop !” 

He  sailed  from  Amboyna  to  Malacca,  where  he 
landed  in  July,  1547,  a year  and  a half  after  he 
had  quitted  it.  To  his  extreme  consolation,  he 
here  found  three  fathers  of  the  Societ}7,  men  of 
a truly  apostolic  spirit,  and  worthy  of  succeeding 
him  in  his  arduous  mission  of  the  Moluccas,  whi- 
ther he  had  summoned  them  by  letter.  They  were 
the  first  three  of  his  order  whom  he  had  met 
with;  and  the  joy  of  his  meeting  with  them  was 
redoubled  when  they  informed  him  of  the  arrival 
of  seven  others  at  Goa. 

During  the  four  months  that  Xavier  remained 
at  Malacca  awaiting  the  proper  season  for  return- 
ing to  Goa,  he  found  full  occupation  in  the  service 
i of  souls.  He  preached  to  Christians  and  pagans, 
to  the  Portuguese  and  to  the  newly-converted 
Indians,  when  such  vast  multitudes  flocked  to  his 
i;  sermons  that  no  building  could  be  found  spacious 
enough  to  contain  them.  He  daily  gave  an  ex- 
planation on  one  or  other  of  the  mysteries  of  faith ; 


240 


THE  LIFE  OF 


he  subdued  enmities  and  discord,  substituting 
charity  and  peace  in  place  of  them;  he  was  con- 
tinually hearing  confessions,  instructing  catechu- 
mens, baptizing  children  and  converts,  serving  in 
the  hospital,  visiting  the  sick  in  their  own  houses, 
and  assisting  the  dying.  “And,”  writes  he,  “since 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  give  satisfaction  to  every 
one,  I am  not  without  adversaries:  however,  their 
hatred  does  not  disturb  me  much,  because  I know 
it  is  only  occasioned  by  my  war  upon  sin  : on  the 
contrary,  it  tends  to  my  edification. ” Thus  did  the 
holy  man  charitably  impute  to  a good  motive  the 
malice  of  those  who  were  steeped  in  vice,  and  who 
resented  the  apostolic  liberty  and  zeal  with  which 
he  reproved  them,  acting  in  this  respect  like  the 
insane,  who  abuse  the  doctor  whilst  he  tries  to 
cure  them  : so  did  these,  when  he  disclosed  the 
wounds  of  their  souls  to  them, — more  ashamed 
that  he  should  have  discovered  them  than  that 
they  should  have  been  infected  with  them. 

Among  the  children  whom  he  was  instructing 
was  one  named  Paul  Gomez,  (afterward  a member 
of  the  Society,)  a very  clever  boy,  with  special 
grace  and  talent  in  reciting  any  thing  of  piety  or 
connected  with  the  mysteries  of  religion : hence 
the  saint  often  made  him  open  the  catechetical  ex- 
ercises. Once,  when  the  people  were  all  assembled 
for  this  purpose,  he  called  upon  Paul  to  begin;  but 
no  Paul  answered  : he  was  sought  for,  but  was 
nowhere  to  be  found.  Recollecting  himself  for  a 
moment,  Almighty  God  gave  him  to  understand 
where  the  child  was:  so,  walking  through  the 
crowd,  Xavier  went  straight  to  the  font,  where  he 
found  little  Paul,  who  had  concealed  himself,  as  he 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  241 

owned,  because  he  was  ashamed  to  address  so  large 
an  assemblage  on  some  subject  which  he  feared 
was  not  well  impressed  on  his  memory,  simply 
saying  that  he  crouched  down  there  to  watch  'who 
would  be  called  upon  in  his  place.  The  saint  took 
him  by  the  hand  and  led  him,  astonished  and  con- 
fused as  he  was,  through  the  expectant  audience, 
who  were  highly  delighted  with  the  scene  and  en- 
couraged him  to  begin  boldly  at  once  as  if  nothing 
had  occurred.  The  docile  child  obeyed,  and  ac- 
quitted himself  admirably.  The  same  foreseeing 
light  of  God  enabled  him  to  arrest  the  barbarous 
intention  of  a jealous  soldier,  who,  distrustful  of 
his  wife’s  fidelity,  threatened  to  kill  her,  and  had 
actually  raised  the  cutlass  to  her  throat,  when 
Xavier  rushed  in,  and  with  a tone  of  authority 
checked  the  man,  convinced  him  that  his  sus- 
picions were  groundless,  and  thus  saved  the  inno- 
cent woman’s  life. 

From  a still  greater  distance  did  his  mental  eye 
behold  the  disasters  which  awaited  Captain  Garzia’s 
ship,  called  the  Bufola,  off  the  rocks  of  Ceylon.  He 
foretold  it  all  to  John  d’Eiro,  who,  as  we  have 
already  related,  he  dismissed  from  his  company, 
and  who  had  engaged  his  passage  on  board  this 
very  ship.  D’Eiro  himself  attested  the  exact  ful- 
filment of  the  prophecy.  The  prow  of  the  ship 
struck  furiously  upon  a rock  : such  was  the  con- 
cussion that  it  was  thought  miraculous  the  vessel 
had  not  split:  though  the  first  alarm  proved  incor- 
rect, they  still  had  not  the  slightest  chance  of 
escape,  so  great  was  the  damage  in  other  respects. 
But  John  d’Eiro  encouraged  the  dispirited  crew, 
assuring  them  that,  according  to  the  saint’s  pre 
Q 21 


242 


THE  LIFE  OF 


diction,  their  fright  would  be  their  greatest  mischief : 
he  cheered  them  on  to  hope  that  the  next  tide  would 
clear  them  off  the  rock, — as  in  effect  it  did,  and  they 
accomplished  the  rest  of  the  voyage  in  safety. 

These  are  a few  of  the  things  which  occurred 
whilst  Xavier  was  at  Malacca,  to  which  we  may 
add  the  following  remarkable  incident, — one  which 
rendered  his  name  famous  all  over  India,  and  one 
well  worthy  of  being  recorded.  We  extract  it 
from  the  authentic  depositions,  attested  by  ninety- 
three  eye-witnesses. 

From  the  time  that  Malacca,  and  with  it  the 
sovereignty  of  those  seas,  fell  into  the  power  of  the 
Portuguese,  the  traffic  and  riches  of  the  neighbor- 
ing kings  materially  diminished,  whilst  their  envy 
and  enmity  increased  in  proportion.  Considering 
their  valor,  their  numbers,  and  their  nautical  skill, 
they  still  hoped  to  expel  the  Europeans,  and  to  re- 
instate in  supreme  authority  the  very  son  of  that 
Mohammedan  whom  the  great  Albuquerque  had 
dispossessed,  or,  if  not  this  one,  some  other  Moor, 
or  at  least  a member  of  any  creed,  provided  it 
were  not  Christian.  Attempts  were  frequently 
made : armies  were  perpetually  invading  the 
country,  but  they  were  always  unsuccessful.  At 
length  the  Sultan  Alaradin,  King  of  Acheen,  re- 
solved upon  a desperate  assault:  he  was  the  impla- 
cable enemy  of  the  Christians  on  the  score  of  his 
religion,  and  of  the  Portuguese  on  the  score  of 
self-interest.  Acheen  was  the  largest  kingdom  of 
the  island  of  Sumatra,  between  which  and  Malacca 
ran  a channel  about  twelve  leagues  broad.  At 
first  he  did  not  venture  openly  to  attack  the  fort- 
ress, but  went  cruising  around  those  seas  with  a 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  243 

powerful  fleet,  destroying  commerce,  and  inter- 
cepting the  succors  sent  to  Malacca  from  the  west, 
intending  to  make  his  grand  attempt  when  the 
city  should  become  weakened  with  regard  to  men 
of  arms  as  well  as  provisions.  To  carry  out  hia 
views,  he  required  a port  beyond  Malacca,  toward 
the  north,  where  he  could  conveniently  shelter  his 
fleet:  moreover,  a fortress  thus  became  necessary, 
for  which  plans  were  drawn  up  and  orders  given. 
These  proceedings  were  pretty  clear  indications  of 
war.  But  in  heaven  above,  Almighty  God  was  de- 
feating the  designs  which  the  tyrant  was  machina- 
ting against  him  on  earth;  for  his  object  was  not 
so  much  to  drive  the  Christians  from  Malacca  as  to 
destroy  Christianity  in  the  East.  As  soon  as  he 
had  effected  his  preliminary  arrangements,  he  raised 
soldiers,  provided  arms  and  ships,  but  secretly, 
in  order  that  the  enemy  should  have  no  time  or 
notice  to  prepare  for  defence  until  the  approach  of 
his  fleet  should  warn  the  inhabitants  of  Malacca  of 
their  danger.  He  had  five  thousand  fighting-men, 
well  trained  to  naval  warfare : five  hundred  of 
them  formed  the  flower  of  his  nobility,  in  sign  of 
which  they  wore  rich  armlets  and  bracelets  of 
gold, — an  honor  only  granted  to  knighthood.  In 
addition  to  these,  there  were  a vast  number  of 
adventurous  Turks  and  Janissaries  serving  as  vo- 
lunteers, to  show  their  prowess  in  battle  against 
the  Portuguese.  The  fleet  comprised  seventy 
vessels  of  one  sort  or  other,  frigates,  brigantines, 
galleons,  light  galleys,  and  others  peculiar  to  the 
Moors.  Lastly,  he  had  furnished  himself  abun- 
dantly with  arms,  ammunition,  combustibles,  and 
provisions.  Such,  then,  was  the  armament  placed 


244 


THE  LIFE  OF 


under  the  command  of  Baia  Soora,  a Saracen 
barbarous  in  disposition  as  in  name,  exceedingly 
beloved  by  his  sovereign,  who,  to  recompense  him 
by  anticipation,  named  him  King  of  Peddir.  No 
news  of  these  proceedings  reached  Malacca  until 
Soora  himself  announced  them  by  suddenly  ap- 
pearing before  the  place  two  hours  after  midnight 
on  the  9th  of  October,  1547.  Presuming  on  the 
terror  which  their  unexpected  arrival  would  create 
among  the  citizens,  they  planned  an  assault,  the 
Janissaries  willingly  offering  to  lead  the  way : 
moreover,  they  believed  they  had  to  contend 
against  a foe  already  half  vanquished.  The  night 
was  dark  and  cloudy,  well  suited  to  such  an  enter- 
prise. Orders  were  therefore  immediately  given 
for  a double  assault, — one  upon  the  city,  by  means 
of  scaling-ladders,  the  other  upon  the  ships  in  port. 
The  most  courageously  disposed  leaped  ashore, 
and,  filling  up  a portion  of  the  ditch,  produced 
their  ladders;  but  they  found  their  task  more 
arduous  than  they  imagined.  Soldiers  and  well- 
armed  citizens  rushed  upon  the  ramparts,  and 
gave  such  a warm  reception  to  the  assailants  that 
many  of  them  were  killed;  whilst  not  one  of  them 
succeeded  in  climbing  the  wall.  The  enemy  was 
more  successful  on  the  water:  so  incessant  was 
the  shower  of  artificial  fire  and  combustible  mat 
ter,  that  all  the  ships  in  the  harbor,  eight  ii 
number,  were  burnt.  The  Acheens  were  satisfied 
with  their  night’s  work,  notwithstanding  the 
failure  of  the  scaling-attempt.  On  the  following 
morning  they  appeared  in  sight,  their  vessels  ar- 
ranged in  form  of  a crescent,  pompously  adorned 
with  flags  and  streamers,  the  crews  spending  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


245 


day  in  carousal  and  glee.  In  the  mean  time,  seven 
poor  peasants,  who  with  their  wives  and  children 
had  been  out  all  night  fishing,  and  were  now 
returning  toward  Malacca,  fell  in  with  one  of  the 
Acheen  guard-ships,  and  wTere  immediately  taken 
before  tho  commander-in-chief,  wTho  ordered  them 
to  be  savagely  beaten,  their  ears  and  noses  to  be 
cut  off,  and  the  nerves  of  the  hands  and  feet  of 
the  strongest  party  to  be  severed.  In  this  muti- 
lated condition  they  wTere  sent  on  to  Malacca, 
bearing  a missive  of  defiance  to  the  commandant, 
Don  Francis  Mello.  The  style  of  the  cartel, 
couched  in  the  bombastic  Oriental  diction,  will 
excite  a smile  on  the  lips  of  the  more  moderate 
European  reader.  We  give  it  translated  from  the 
original.  “I,  Baiaia  Soora,  who  have  the  honor 
of  carrying,  enclosed  in  vessels  of  pure  gold,  the 
smile  of  the  great  sultan  Alaradin,  (the  sweetly- 
perfumed  candlestick  of  the  holy  house  of  Mecca,) 
King  of  Acheen  and  of  the  lands  of  both  seas, 
would  have  thee  to  know,  that  so  thou  mayst 
inform  thy  king,  that  I have  taken  up  my  position 
on  this  his  sea,  throwing  fear  and  terror  into  your 
fortress  with  my  fierce  roaring;  and,  in  spite  of 
him,  I remain  fishing  here,  and  here  I will  remain 
as  long  as  such  may  be  my  pleasure : and  of  this 
my  purpose,  I call  upon  the  earth,  and  all  nations 
comprising  it,  together  with  all  the  elements,  the 
heavens  with  their  moon,  to  bear  me  witness : all 
of  which  proclaim,  by  my  mouth,  that  thy  king  is 
conquered,  vanquished, — a man  of  no  repute,  no 
valor; — his  troops  defeated  and  destroyed  by  land; 
nor  will  he  ever  more  be  able  to  unfurl  his  standard, 
unless  by  the  permission  of  him  who  gains  the 


246 


THE  LIFE  OF 


victory  now.  Let  him  then  bow  his  head  beneath 
the  feet  of  my  king,  for  from  this  day  forth  he 
will  become  his  subject  and  slave.  And,  that  thou 
thyself  may8t  confess  the  truth  of  this,  I,  at  this 
moment,  and  from  the  place  where  I now  am,  send 
thee  this  challenge  and  defiance.  Let  It  be  seen 
whether,  for  his  sake,  thou  wilt  dare  to  accept  and 
answer  it.” 

Such  was  the  letter  of  the  commander-in-chief, 
countersigned  by  all  the  upper  officers,  presented 
by  the  unfortunate  fisherman,  and  read  by  Mello 
to  his  captains  amidst  derisive  scorn  and  laughter. 
Nevertheless,  many  of  them  were  more  ready  to 
ridicule  than  to  accept  the  challenge ; for,  as  their 
ships  were  burnt,  instead  of  being  able  to  go  out 
and  fight  at  sea,  they  were  in  real  fact  besieged  at 
home.  Their  opinions  in  council  were  divided, 
and  there  seemed  no  chance  of  coming  to  any 
decision,  when,  just  at  the  right  moment,  Father 
Francis  made  his  appearance,  having  celebrated 
mass  in  the  church  of  Our  Lady  del  Monte.  He 
was  joyfully  welcomed,  especially  by  Mello,  who 
gave  him  Soora’s  letter  to  read,  and  asked  his 
opinion  upon  it.  As  usual,  he  raised  his  eyes  to 
heaven  and  his  soul  to  God,  and,  after  a moment’s 
pause,  answered,  “ This  vituperation  cannot  be 
tolerated:  it  is  directed  more  to  the  dishonor  of 
Almighty  God  than  to  contempt  of  the  king.  If 
such  an  insult  as  this  be  overlooked,  what  may  we 
not  expect  from  the  audacity  of  the  Saracens, 
when,  by  refusing  to  meet  them  in  battle,  we  en- 
able them  to  boast  that  the  mere  fear  of  them  has 
conquered  us  ? The  very  fact  would  become  a 
model,  and  the  King  of  Acheen,  though  the  prim© 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  247 

mover,  would  not  act  alone:  he  would  find  many 
copyists  in  the  neighboring  princes.  Let  then 
the  savages  be  made  to  understand  that  the  God 
of  the  Christians  is  more  powerful  than  they  with 
all  their  arms.  Accept  the  challenge  and  go  forth 
to  battle.”  “But  with  what  ships?”  rejoined Mello: 
“we  have  only  the  remnants  of  four  burnt  vessels, 
to  repair  which  would  require  as  much  time  as  to 
build  new  ones;  and,  even  if  they  were  in  good 
order,  of  what  use  would  four  be  opposed  to 
seventy?”  “Supposing  there  were  a thousand: 
what  are  numbers  to  God?”  said  the  saint:  “is  not 
this  his  enterprise?  Will  he  not  espouse  our  cause 
if  we  undertake  it  in  his  name?”  It  appeared  as 
if  Almighty  God  spoke  and  signified  his  will  by 
the  lips  of  Xavier:  no  one  contradicted  him,  and 
Mello  and  the  rest  cheerfully  accompanied  him  to 
the  arsenal,  where  they  found  one  brig  and  seven 
light  galleys,  so  old  as  to  be  more  fit  for  the  fire 
than  for  service.  Odoard  Barretto,  the  royal  pur- 
veyor of  arms,  was  summoned,  who  was  ordered 
to  have  these  vessels  immediately  repaired  and  fur- 
nished. He  declared  this  to  be  utterly  impossible: 
he  had  no  tow,  not  a yard  of  sailcloth,  no  threads, 
no  sails.  The  case  seemed  hopeless,  when  Xavier, 
looking  round  among  the  officers  and  captains  of 
ships,  embraced  seven  of  them,  and  entreated  each 
of  them  to  undertake  the  charge  of  one  of  these 
ships,  himself  making  the  distribution,  saying, 
“This  is  yours, .that  is  yours,”  and  so  on.  They 
eve^  one  consented,  as  if  his  word  contained  some 
irresistible  power  which  they  were  unable  to  with- 
stand. A hundred  or  more  men  were  immediately 
set  to  work  on  each  galley,  and  in  five  days  they 


248 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  the  brig  were  fit  for  sea.  In  the  mean  time 
Mello  had  selected  a hundred  and  eighty  of  his  best 
Soldiers,  dividing  them  between  the  eight  captains, 
giving  the  command  of  the  little  squadron  to  his 
brother-in-law,  Francis  Deza.  With  regard  to 
Xavier  himself,  a great  contest  arose.  He  de- 
clared that  he  would  accompany  the  fleet,  where- 
upon the  delight  of  the  soldiers  was  unbounded : 
they  remembered  the  effect  of  his  mere  presence 
in  the  case  of  the  Badages,  when,  as  the  reader 
will  recollect,  the  wholly  army  was  discomfited  as 
soon  as  he  made  his  appearance.  But  the  city 
would  on  no  account  agree  to  this  arrangement, — 
jthe  people  actually  protesting  that  if  the  holy 
father  left  them  they  would  at  once  abandon  the 
place  and  go  off  to  other  countries.  After  much 
Contention,  Malacca  gained  the  point : it  was  de- 
cided that  he  should  remain  where  he  was;  that 
thus  he  would  benefit  both  parties, — the  town  with 
his  presence,  and  the  fleet  with  his  prayers.  He 
discoursed  with  the  soldiers,  before  they  embarked, 
pf  the  honor  which  would  redound  to  God,  and  of 
their  own  great  reward,  whether  they  conquered 
or  died  in  battle.  He  spoke  with  such  energy  as 
to  enkindle  in  their  hearts  a Christian  zeal  as 
great  as  their  martial  courage  : in  a word,  urged 
on  by  an  impulse  of  generosity,  they  all  with  one 
accord  protested  they  would  fight  to  the  last  drop 
pf  their  blood, — at  which  Xavier,  Mello,  and 
several  of  the  citizens  who  were  present  were 
so  much  affected  as  to  shed  tears. 

Little,  however,  was  required  to  change  this 
burst  of  enthusiasm  into  grief  and  dismay : so  easily 
Is  a multitude  carried  to  extremes.  The  little  fleet 


6 A I NT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  249 

was  on  the  point  of  setting  sail;  every  one  w as  on 
the  shore  to  give  a cheering  farewell;  Xavier  was 
in  the  church  of  Our  Lady  del  Monte,  praying 
for  victory.  The  ships  had  scarcely  proceeded  a 
hundred  yards,  when  the  flag-ship  was  suddenly 
driven  on  a rock  (it  was  impossible  to  say  how, 
for  the  sea  was  quite  calm)  and  sank.  A fearful 
cry  of  distress  rent  the  air,  and  discouragement 
seized  all  hearts;  but,  prompt  assistance  being  at 
hand,  not  one  of  the  men  perished.  However,  as 
the  common  people  are  apt  to  trust  to  omens,  and 
to  philosophize  on  the  merits  of  an  event  by  its 
success,  they  began  to  say  that  it  was  madness  to 
have  followed  the  counsels  of  Father  Francis  and 
Mello,  the  latter  being  more  courageous  than  pru- 
dent. Hopeful  confidence  was  all  very  well ; but 
neither  God  nor  virtue  presided  over  rash  delibera- 
tions tending  to  the  injury  of  individuals,  or  which 
were  evidently  contrary  to  the  public  good.  What 
could  eight  old  ships  do  against  seventy  ? and  the 
city  and  fortress  to  be  left  unguarded,  too  ! How 
wrould  a second  assault  be  resisted  ? who  would  be 
there  to  receive  the  enemy  at  the  walls  ? Thanks 
to  God  for  thus  miraculously  enlightening  them 
in  time ! Who  but  God  had  struck  and  sunk  the 
galley,  their  best  ship,  in  sight  of  port?  Much 
more  in  a similar  style  was  said,  till  by  degrees 
complaints  became  tumultuous;  and  Mello,  who 
was  far  from  being  in  an  enviable  state  of  mind, 
despatched  a messenger  in  quest  of  the  saint,  that 
he  might  come  and  appease  the  irritated  populace. 
The  messenger  found  him  at  the  altar,  with  the 
blessed  sacrament  in  his  hand,  on  the  point  of 
communicating.  The  man  approached,  but  the 


250 


THE  LIFE  OF 


holy  father  made  him  a sign  to  remain  where  he 
^as.  God  had  already  revealed  to  him  the  loss  of 
the  admiral’s  ship,  and,  moreover,  had  given  him 
to  understand  that  this  enterprise  was  to  cost  him 
sufferings  and  danger  as  well  as  prayers  and  tears. 

Having  finished  his  mass,  and  taken  off  his 
sacerdotal  vestments,  he  turned  to  the  messenger, 
and,  without  allowing  him  to  utter  a word,  said  to 
him,  “Keturn  to  your  master,  and  tell  him  in  my 
name  not  to  be  distressed;  that  God  will  not  be 
panting  to  them  who  place  their  hopes  in  him; 
that  the  greater  our  necessities  are,  the  greater  is 
his  liberality.”  He  remained  in  prayer  before  a 
picture  of  the  queen  of  angels,  where  he  was  seen 
to  weep  bitterly,  and  was  overheard  as  he  uttered 
these  precise  words  : — “ O Jesus  Christ  my  Lord, 
and  the  lovo  of  my  soul ! cast  the  eyes  of  your 
inercy  upon  me!  And  you,  O glorious  Virgin, 
pray  to  him  with  me ! O Lord,  look  on  your 
sacred  wounds,  and  there  you  will  see  how  your 
divine  majesty  is  obliged  to  side  with  us.  Through 
these  wounds,  what  is  there,  O my  God  and  my 
Jjord,  that  I can  ask  of  your  clemency  as  a remedy 
to  my  affliction  and  that  of  my  brethren,  that  you, 
as  the  father  of  mercy  and  the  Lord  of  all  creatures, 
are  not  obliged  to  grant  me?”  His  prayer  being 
ended,  he  arose  and  proceeded  to  the  fortress, 
where  he  met  Mello,  whose  countenance  and  words 
betrayed  grief,  and  a certain  sort  of  resentment 
against  the  saint,  as  being  the  cause  of  his  present 
unpopularity.  Xavier  gently  reproved  him  for  so 
easily  casting  aside  his  former  noble  confidence  in 
(Jod.  The  two  next  repaired  to  the  beach,  where, 
jfith  much  difficulty,  the  ammunition  and  othef 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  251 

stores  belonging  to  the  sunken  vessel  were  reco- 
vered. Then,  assuming  a tone  of  great  animation, 
he  succeeded  in  raising  the  drooping  spirits  of 
many;  but  dismay  was  still  the  prevailing  senti- 
ment. Not  to  compromise  himself  in  so  precarious 
a matter,  Mello  resolved  to  put  the  question  to  the 
vote,  as  to  whether  the  enterprise  should  be  pur- 
sued, and  accordingly  summoned  the  military  and 
civil  authorities  to  council,  requesting,  each  one’s 
opinion.  As  for  the  latter,  they  unanimously  de- 
clared against  the  war,  protesting  against  the  idea 
of  resuming  an  expedition  which  began  so  dis- 
astrously, urging  that  neither  prudence  nor  con- 
science would  countenance  so  dangerous  a risk. 
Why  expose  the  lives  of  those  on  whom  the  safety 
of  the  city  depended?  Whilst  the  citizens  were 
arguing  in  this  strain,  Xavier  was  inwardly  be- 
seeching Almighty  God  to  inspire  thq  military 
part  of  the  council  with  more  generous  sentiments. 
He  looked  round  upon  them,  and  made  signs  of 
encouragement,  often  raising  his  eyes  to  heaven, 
as  if  to  remind  them  that  they  had  pledged  them- 
selves to  God  by  oath,  and  that  he  would  be  with 
them  if  they  would  only  trust  in  him.  Their 
words  soon  convinced  him  that  he  was  understood. 
With  one  beart,  and  as  courageously  as  if  no  acci- 
dent had  happened  to  the  unfortunate  galley,  they 
renewed  the  consecration  of  their  lives  to  God,  (so 
enthusiastically  made  the  preceding  day,)  and  de- 
clared, like  cavaliers  as  they  were,  that  serving 
the  king  for  pay,  and  Christ  on  oath,  nothing 
should  release  them  from  their  solemn  pledge 
Go  they  would,  and  fight  to  their  last  breath. 
They  trusted  in  Him  for  whose  glory  they  took 


252 


THE  LIFE  OF 


up  arms,  and  with  his  aid  they  would  gain  t’Ae 
victory.  What  had  they  to  fear  to-day  more  than 
yesterday?  They  were  the  same  in  number;  and, 
though  they  had  lost  a ship,  they  had  not  lost 
one  single  soldier.  Hereupon  Xavier  interposed, 
speaking  with  great  vehemence  of  soul,  as  if  im- 
pelled by  God  in  some  supernatural  way,  exclaim- 
ing, “ Neither  will  you  miss  this  ship:  it  will  be 
replaced,  and  another  brigantine  will  also  be 
added  to  your  squadron.  I announce  to  you  that 
for  the  one  old  galley  which  we  have  lost,  two 
much  better  ones  will  be  given  to  our  aid.  They 
are  coming,  they  are  on  the  sea ; God  sends  them 
to  teach  you  to  hope  in  him;  and  this  very  day, 
before  the  sun  sets,  you  will  see  them  with  your 
own  eyes.”  As  he  ceased  speaking,  a whisper 
arose  on  all  sides:  exultation  was  evident  in  one 
set,  whilst  the  other  retired  somewhat  confused. 
The  secretary,  Baltasar  Kibera,  drew  up  a public 
act  declaratory  of  the  contradictory  opinions  of 
the  meeting:  the  solution  of  the  case  must  depend 
on  the  accomplishment  of  the  prophecy.  Mello 
took  the  officers  to  the  fortress  to  dinner,  whilst 
Xavier  returned  to  the  church  of  our  Lady  to 
pray. 

In  the  mean  time,  eager  groups  had  posted 
themselves  on  the  more  elevated  portions  of  the 
city,  keenly  scanning  the  sea.  The  windows  over- 
looking the  coast  were  perpetually  visited,  in  hopes 
of  catching  a glimpse  of  the  promised  ships;  and 
various  were  the  surmises  as  to  the  probability  of 
the  accomplishment  of  the  holy  father’s  prediction. 
Just  an  hour  before  sunset,  notice  was  given  from 
Our  Lady  del  Monte,  where  the  saint  was  in  prayer, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  253 

of  the  approach  of  two  ships.  Mello  immediately 
despatched  a fast-sailing  frigate  to  reconnoitre. 
They  proved  to  be  a couple  of  brigs,  with  seventy 
Portuguese  soldiers  on  board,  commanded  by  Diego 
and  Baltasar  Soarez,  father  and  son,  bound  for 
Pegu,  but  standing  out  at  high  sea,  in  order  to 
avoid  the  anchorage-dues  exacted  at  Malacca.  In- 
credible was  the  delight  of  the  people,  who  loaded 
Xavier  with  thanks  and  praise.  The  most  incredu- 
lous and  timid  now  took  heart,  and  admitted  that 
God  watched  over  their  arrangements  and  pro- 
mised victory  by  the  mouth  of  the  saint.  The 
grand  point  now  was  to  induce  the  two  captains 
to  enter  the  port  and  join  the  expedition,  and 
Xavier  undertook  to  accomplish  this  : he  went  off 
to  them,  showed  them  the  defiance  of  the  bar- 
barian king,  and  the  intention  of  the  Portuguese 
to  sally  forth  and  chastise  him,  dwelt  on  the  glory 
which  would  redound  to  God,  and  the  dangers  to 
be  apprehended  in  the  event  of  the  infidels  being 
left  unchecked.  This  was  quite  sufficient  to  pre- 
vail on  the  two  captains,  who  only  required  a pro- 
mise of  being  exempted  from  the  custom-house 
and  anchorage  dues.  This  was  at  once  conceded; 
and,  as  a pledge  of  honor  to  the  strangers,  the 
admiral,  Don  Francis  Deza,  and  the  commissioner 
of  the  customs,  in  person,  conveyed  the  immunity 
in  writing,  and  returned  with  the  two  ships  to 
port.  In  the  course  of  four  days,  they  were  fur- 
nished with  provisions,  with  extra  sailors,  and 
with  all  that  was  necessary  for  war,  besides  the 
addition  of  two  hundred  and  thirty  Portuguese. 
On  Friday,  the  21st  of  October,  they  set  sail, 
Xavier  having  previously  blessed  the  banner,  and 
22 


THE  LIFE  OF 


454 

Mello  having  given  them  directions  not  to  go  in 
search  of  the  Acheens  beyond  the  confines  of  the 
states  of  Malacca,  terminating  at  Pulo-Zamblon. 
They  set  off  in  high  spirits,  with  no  other  fear  than 
that  of  not  encountering  the  foe,  of  which  they 
almost  lost  hopes  when  they  reached  the  end  of 
their  prescribed  limits  without  seeing  any  thing 
of  the  fleet;  nor  did  they  meet  with  any  one  who 
had.  The  greater  part  earnestly  entreated  Deza 
to  advance  farther;  but  this  he  positively  refused, 
being  determined  to  adhere  to  Mello’s  instructions, 
and  therefore  began  to  prepare  for  the  return. 
On  the  28th  of  October  there  was  a great  eclipse  of 
the  sun,  and  such  a strong  northwest  wind  arose 
as  to  compel  the  fleet  to  rest  at  anchor,  and  they 
were  thus  detained  for  twenty-three  days  : pro- 
visions growing  short,  they  were  compelled  to 
proceed  in  search  of  a supply,  and  accordingly 
sailed  toward  Pegu,  making  for  the  port  of  Jun- 
zalam  or  Tanesserin.  This  was  all  by  a dispensa- 
tion of  Divine  Providence ; and,  whilst  they  were 
in  search  only  of  food,  they  found  the  enemy. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  people  of  Malacca  were  in 
a terrible  state  of  alarm.  Nearly  six  weeks  had 
elapsed  since  the  departure  of  the  fleet,  of  which 
no  tidings  could  be  gleaned  : it  was  generally  be- 
lieved either  that  the  whole  squadron  had  gone  to 
the  bottom  of  the  sea,  or  that  the  Acheens  had 
so  completely  mastered  them  that  not  so  much  as 
one  had  been  spared  to  carry  the  news  to  his  own 
people.  As  imagination  usually  magnifies  calami- 
ties, and  as  surmises  are  but  too  often  converted 
into  and  circulated  as  facts,  so  was  it  with  the 
inhabitants  of  Malacca : a circumstantial  report 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVJER.  255 

of  the  time  and  place  of  the  battle  was  given,  and 
confirmed  by  a brigantine  which  happened  1 6 
arrive  just  then  from  Salangor,  the  crew  of  which 
pretended  to  have  had  information  from  eye-wit- 
nesses of  the  defeat  and  massacre  of  the  Portu- 
guese, and  of  the  victory  gained  and  of  the  booty 
carried  off  by  the  Acheens.  Long  and  loud  were 
the  wailings  in  Malacca,  and  melancholy  were  the 
forebodings  of  impending  ruin  to  the  city,  now  left 
all-but  unprotected.  Wives,  mothers,  daughters, 
and  sisters  were  deploring  the  relatives  they 
had  lost  on  the  occasion.  Others,  in  a spirit  of 
execrable  curiosity,  had  recourse  to  the  father 
of  lies,  and  by  incantations  strove  to  recall  the 
spirits  of  the  departed,  to  ascertain  from  them  the 
truth  or  falsehood  of  the  reports : as  might  be 
expected,  the  answers  were  such  as  would  best 
suit  the  interests  of  the  devil,  and  consequently 
were  all  of  a lugubrious  character.  The  whole 
blame  was  thrown  upon  Father  Francis,  as  being 
the  chief  adviser  of  the  expedition.  Even  Mello 
himself  was  held  in  such  execration  that  he  could 
no  longer  appear  in  public  with  any  degree  of 
safety,  and  he  too  showed  no  slight  dissatisfaction 
toward  the  saint. 

At  the  same  time,  a new  cause  of  alarm  in- 
creased the  agitation  of  the  citizens,  who,  instead 
of  weeping  over  the  distant  death  of  their  friends, 
had  now  to  deplore  the  apparent  close  approach 
of  their  own.  But  it  is  not  uncommon  to  the 
ways  of  God  to  allow  our  miseries  to  reach  their 
culminating-point,  and  then,  when  the  case  seems 
most  desperate,  he  unexpectedly  comes  to  the 
rescue,  and  renders  his  protecting  succor  all 


256 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  more  highly  prized  as  it  had  been  less  looked 
for. 

The  alarm  alluded  to,  like  that  of  the  Acheens, 
proceeded  from  the  island  of  Sumatra.  The  King 
of  Yianta,  the  son  of  that  Mahomet  whom  Albu- 
querque had  expelled  from  Malacca,  was  ever  on 
the  watch  for  an  opportunity  of  regaining  posses- 
sion of  the  place,  and,  being  aware  of  its  present 
unprotected  state,  hoped  to  succeed  either  by  as- 
sault or  by  treachery.  Collecting  his  men,  he  fitted 
out  a vast  fleet, — some  say  of  three  hundred  sail 
of  one  sort  or  other, — with  which  he  sailed  to 
Muhar,  about  six  leagues  beyond  Malacca:  here  he 
anchored,  and  sent  forth  a scout-ship  to  ascertain 
the  truth  of  the  report  as  to  the  destruction  of  the 
Portuguese  by  the  Acheens;  in  the  mean  time,  he 
sent  a gentleman  as  his  ambassador  to  the  com- 
mandant Mello,  bearing  a most  deceitful  letter, 
where,  under  the  guise  of  loyal  friendship,  he 
was  plotting  the  basest  treachery.  He  said  that, 
being  on  the  point  of  leading  an  expedition  against 
the  kingdom  of  Patan,  he  had  just  beard  of  the 
fearful  slaughter  of  the  Portuguese  by  the  Acheens, 
and  that  the  Acheen  conqueror  was  sailing  down 
to  surprise  Malacca,  with  a determination  of  put- 
ting all  to  fire  and  sword ; that  this  intelligence 
had  pierced  his  heart  as  much  as  if  the  Portu- 
guese had  been  his  own  children ; and  that  in  af- 
fection for  the  King  of  Portugal,  his  good  brother, 
he  laid  aside  his  own  interests,  to  hasten  to  the 
succor  of  Malacca.  He  entreated  Mello  to  receive 
him  as  a friend  and  confederate,  promising  to 
bring  into  port  a good  supply  of  men  and  of  pro- 
visions. But  his  well-planned  deceit  answered  not 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


257 


his  purpose.  Mello,  with  reason,  distrusted  the 
friendly  protestations  of  a Moor  for  a Christian  : 
he  read  the  letter,  and  needed  no  key  for  its  inter- 
pretation : he  returned  the  note,  writing  at  the 
foot  of  it  that  he  was  well  aware  of  his  long-stand- 
ing loyalty  and  friendship,  of  which,  therefore,  no 
new  proof  was  needed ; that  with  regard  to  his 
courteous  offer,  it  certainly  should  not  be  forgotten, 
and  should  even  be  returned  with  interest  on  a 
fitting  occasion.  As  for  his  fleet  sent  against  the 
Acheens,  he  had  had  certain  news  of  victory,  and 
he  was  hourly  awaiting  the  triumphant  return  of 
his  followers.  He  concluded  by  entreating  the 
king  to  carry  out  his  original  design  against  Pa- 
tan,  especially  as  Malacca  was  abundantly  supplied 
with  men  and  stores  of  every  sort 

Both  parties  evidently  understood  each  other, 
and  the  Saracen  remained  where  he  was,  intending, 
on  the  return  of  his  spies,  to  change  his  deceitful 
tactics  for  those  of  open  force.  Malacca,  in  the 
mean  time,  was  in  a state  of  terrible  dismay.  Xa- 
vier alone  preserved  the  same  unvarying  serenity 
of  heart  and  countenance,  trustfully  relying  on 
the  paternal  clemency  and  the  promises  of  God : 
in  public  and  in  private  his  indefatigable  charity 
was  ever  at  work,  consoling  and  inspiriting  the 
people,  yet  severely  reproving  those  who  had  re- 
course to  sorcery,  the  thing  most  likely  to  draw 
down  the  vengeance  of  the  Almighty.  But  all  he 
said  seemed  to  avail  but  little;  and  regularly 
when,  after  preaching,  he  would  recommend  his 
auditors  to  pray  for  victory  and  for  the  safe  return 
of  the  fleet,  they  would  look  at  each  other  and 
mutter,  ‘‘Let  him  bring  them  to  life  again,  and 
R 22* 


258 


THE  LIFE  OF 


we  will  pray  for  their  victorious  return  : yes,  yes, 
let  him  restore  them  to  life !,?  But  God,  in  his 
mercy,  looked  more  to  the  faith  and  merits  of  his 
servant  than  to  the  ingratitude  of  the  people. 

To  return,  however,  to  the  fleet.  It  was  on  the 
3d  of  December  that  they  approached  the  coast 
of  Chida  in  quest  of  provisions;  at  sunset  they 
entered  the  river  Dedir,  more  than  four  hundred 
miles  distant  from  Malacca.  At  dusk,  they  per- 
ceived a boat  moving  silently  along  with  muffled 
oars : they  were  taken  by  the  Portuguese,  and 
proved  to  be  worthy  fishermen  belonging  to  the 
country.  On  being  asked  whether  any  villages 
were  at  hand,  where  provisions  and  good  water 
could  be  procured,  they  entered  upon  a dismal 
detail  of  misfortunes,  saying  that  farther  inland 
there  were  many  villages  and  hamlets,  but  that 
no  supplies  would  be  found  there,  because  the 
Acheens  had  unexpectedly  fallen  upon  them  and 
had  devastated  all  the  surrounding  country;  that 
their  own  king  had  escaped  with  difficulty,  and 
fled  to  the  states  of  Patan,  and  that  every  thing 
had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  ruthless  foe,  who 
had  carried  off  an  immense  booty,  first  slaughter- 
ing all  the  men  that  fell  in  their  way.  The  Por- 
tuguese were  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  at  last 
meeting  with  the  Acheens : a simultaneous  shout 
of  joy  arose  from  the  whole  fleet : flags  and  ban- 
ners were  unfurled ; Deza  and  his  officers  put  on 
their  gala  dresses,  whilst  all  the  soldiers  and 
sailors  received  an  extra  allowance  from  their 
small  remaining  store.  The  admiral  ordered  a 
discharge  of  artillery  in  the  excess  of  his  joy,  not 
reflecting  that  he  was  wasting  his  powder  as  well 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  259 

as  giving  notice  to  the  enemy  of  his  proximity 
The  Aeheens,  hearing  the  report,  were  satisfied 
that  some  other  ships  were  at  no  great  distance, 
so  they  despatched  four  brigantines  to  reconnoitre: 
these  fell  in  with  three  Portuguese  vessels,  which 
had  likewise  been  well  manned  and  sent  out  for  a 
similar  purpose  : it  was  near  midnight  when  they 
met,  but  the  moon  was  clear  enough  to  allow  them 
distinctly  to  see  each  other.  Each  of  the  Portu- 
guese grappled  with  one  of  the  Aeheens  and  con- 
quered; the  fourth  tacked  about  and  carried  the 
intelligence  to  Soora.  The  Portuguese,  with  their 
six  prisoners,  (all  that  remained  alive,)  passed 
over  to  the  other  brigantines,  which  were  in  every 
respect  superior  to  their  own,  and,  after  setting 
fire  to  the  other  three  to  prevent  them  from  being 
of  any  use  to  the  enemy,  they  returned  to  their 
eager  companions.  The  savages  were  put  to  the 
question,  in  order  to  elicit  from  them  some  infor- 
mation with  regard  to  the  strength  and  position 
of  the  foe;  but  not  a word  could  be  extracted.  At 
length  four  of  them  were  bound  hand  and  foot, 
with  a threat  of  being  thrown  overboard,  which 
was  done ; and  then  the  two  who  remained,  made 
wiser  by  the  miserable  fate  of  the  others,  offered 
to  disclose  the  state  of  the  Acheen  squadron.  They 
were  examined  separately,  and  their  accounts  were 
found  to  agree  in  every  material  point.  Accord- 
ing to  them,  their  countrymen  were  posted  about 
twelve  leagues  higher  up  the  river,  the  fleet  con- 
sisting of  five  thousand  soldiers  and  as  many  sailors 
or  even  more;  that  they  had  made  themselves 
masters  of  the  bordering  country,  had  expelled 
the  king  and  massacred  two  thousand  of  the  in- 


260 


THE  LIFE  OF 


habitants,  carrying  off  as  many  more  for  slaves, 
together  with  a vast  amount  of  booty ; that  they 
were  building  a fortress  there,  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  intercepting  the  ships  going  from  Bengal 
to  Malacca  and  of  slaying  all  the  Christians  that 
might  thus  fall  into  their  power. 

This  information  was  quite  sufficient,  without 
any  inspiriting  harangue  from  the  admiral,  to 
rouse  the  energy  and  indignation  of  the  Portu- 
guese : however,  not  to  omit  the  usual  custom, 
Deza,  armed  with  a breastplate  over  his  crimson 
dress,  and  holding  his  rapier  in  his  hand,  presented 
himself  to  his  whole  squadron,  reminding  the  men 
of  their  promise  to  God  and  of  the  merits  of 
Father  Francis,  by  whose  counsel  they  were  in 
their  present  position,  and  whose  prayers  would 
no  doubt  help  them  on  to  victory. 

As  the  enemy’s  fleet  was  so  numerous,  he  posted 
his  own  little  band  in  the  most  advantageous  po- 
sition,— in  such  a manner  as  to  prevent  being  en- 
tirely surrounded,  and  also  to  be  able  to  profit  as 
far  as  possible  from  the  natural  disposition  of  the 
coast.  Scarcely  were  these  arrangements  com- 
pleted ere  the  Acheens  came  in  sight.  As  soon 
as  they  beheld  the  Portuguese,  they  raised  their 
hideous  war-cry,  sounding  their  horns  and  beating 
their  drums.  Three  galleons  (Soora  being  on 
board  of  one)  formed  their  vanguard,  followed  by 
nine  file  of  galleys,  six  and  six  abreast,  all  in 
beautiful  order.  The  Acheens  were  the  first  to 
fire : the  Portuguese  received  the  charge  steadily, 
which,  either  from  precipitation  or  from  some  mis- 
calculation, proved  wholly  ineffectual;  but  after- 
ward, as  they  stood  front  to  front,  fearful  was  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  261 

storm  of  arrows  and  the  discharge  of  musketry 
on  both  sides.  There  was  every  prospect  of  the 
battle  being  most  sanguinary,  had  not  God,  by 
one  single  shot  from  the  ship  of  John  Soarez, 
given  the  victory  to  the  Portuguese.  This  shot 
struck  the  side  ol  the  King  of  Pedir’s  ship,  making 
such  a rent  in  her  that  she  almost  immediately 
vent  down ; whereupon  the  three  galleons  hastened 
to  save  Soora  and  the  hundred  knights  who  were 
drowning  with  him.  This  unforeseen  circumstance 
disarranged  the  whole  order  of  the  fleet,  one  ship 
falling  in  the  way  of  another  as  they  attempted 
to  cross  the  river.  They  were  unable  to  recover 
their  position  before  they  had  received  four  full 
rounds  of  discharge  from  the  whole  of  the  Chris- 
tian band:  nine  of  their  vessels  sunk,  many  others 
being  either  disabled  or  damaged,  with  an  im- 
mense number  of  men  killed.  Seeing  that  God 
was  so  manifestly  on  their  side,  the  Portuguese 
fell  on  the  remainder  with  great  spirit, — four  of 
the  brigs  keeping  up  an  incessant  fire,  whilst  the 
other  three  discharged  combustible  missiles.  And 
here  Almighty  God  guided  the  hand  of  some  one, 
we  know  not  who,  which  by  one  stroke  completed 
the  victory  : a musket-shot  struck  the  commander- 
king,  who,  when  rescued  from  the  water,  fought 
with  desperation ; but  no  sooner  was  he  wounded, 
than,  losing  all  courage,  he  fled  with  two  galleys, 
losing  the  glory  of  dying  in  battle,  though  in 
effect  he  was  reported  to  have  died  a few  hours 
later.  The  fleet,  now  left  without  a chief,  became 
completely  dispirited ; yet,  rather  than  be  made 
prisoners,  the  soldiers  threw  down  their  arms,  and 
the  sailors  their  oars,  and  jumped  overboard,  not 


262 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  reach  the  shore  alive,  as  they  hoped,  but  to 
perish  in  the  waves. 

Thus,  of  the  many  thousand  Acheens,  Moors, 
and  Janissaries  who  had  sallied  forth  in  all  the 
nride  of  war,  none  escaped  but  the  few  who  fled 
with  Baia  Soora.  Of  the  Portuguese,  many  were 
wounded,  but  only  twenty-six  were  killed,  four 
of  whom  were  Portuguese  and  the  rest  were  sol- 
diers and  common  sailors.  The  booty  was  enor- 
mous. Forty-five  ships,  three  hundred  pieces  of 
artillery,  and,  what  was  of  more  consequence, 
several  of  them  bore  the  arms  of  Portugal,  having 
been  lost  piece  by  piece  in  various  engagements, 
and  now  fortunately  recovered  all  together;  be- 
sides eight  hundred  muskets,  scimitars,  bows, 
javelins,  and  other  weapons.  Of  the  spoils  taken 
from  the  slain  the  value  was  enormous. 

Neither  the  chastisement  of  the  Acheens,  nor 
the  glory  of  the  Portuguese,  end  here.  The  King 
of  Paries,  who,  as  we  have  stated,  sought  shelter 
in  the  kingdom  of  Patan  when  driven  from  his 
own  by  the  rapacious  Acheens,  unfurled  his  ban- 
ner, and,  hastily  collecting  five  hundred  soldiers, 
fell  upon  the  two  hundred  Acheens  who  had  been 
appointed  to  guard  the  prisoners,  and  massacred 
them  every  one,  and,  embarking  on  two  of  their 
vessels,  left  for  the  convenience  of  their  own 
people,  followed  the  Portuguese  down  the  river, 
exulting  in  their  victory,  which  in  effect  restored 
the  King  of  Paries  to  his  dominions.  In  gratitude 
for  this  benefit,  he  solemnly  offered  himself  as 
vassal  and  his  kingdom  in  perpetuity  as  tributary 
to  the  crown  of  Portugal. 

In  order  to  render  the  triumph  complete,  no- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIL'R.  263 

thing  further  was  needed,  except  to  drive  back  the 
King  of  Vianta,  who  had  stationed  himself,  with 
three  hundred  sail,  on  the  confines  of  Malacca, 
not  to  give  friendly  succor,  as  he  pretended,  hut 
to  invade  it,  as  its  inveterate  and  hereditary  foe. 
And  this  was  effected  without  bloodshed,  without 
force  of  arms.  Fear  did  the  work.  The  spy-ships 
which  he  had  sent  along  the  coast  of  Paries,  to 
ascertain  the  fate  of  the  contest  between  the 
Acheens  and  Portuguese,  hearing  of  the  total  de- 
structions of  the  confederates,  returned  with  the 
information  to  their  master,  who,  bursting  with 
rage  at  the  unexpected  result,  stabbed  the  unfor- 
tunate messenger  who  announced  it  to  him;  and 
then,  fearing  for  his  own  safety,  he  hastily  weighed 
anchor,  and,  feigning  sudden  illness,  returned  to 
his  own  kingdom. 

During  all  this  time,  however,  Malacca  knew 
nothing  either  of  its  own  victory  or  of  the  flight 
of  the  Saracen  king.  On  the  contrary,  the  in- 
habitants were  in  hourly  expectation  of  a siege  or 
an  assault,  and  were  more  discouraged  than  ever; 
when  God  vouchsafed  to  console  them,  not  for  any 
deserts  of  their  own,  but  to  convince  them  that 
he  is  ever  faithful  to  his  promises,  and  to  show 
them  how  powerful  were  the  prayers  of  Xavier. 
He  who  had  regulated  the  whole  course  of  the  en- 
terprise had,  to  promote  the  honor  of  his  servant, 
prefixed  that  the  day  and  hour  of  the  battle  should 
fall  precisely  on  the  4th  of  December,  a Sunday, 
at  the  very  time  when  Mello  and  all  the  people 
were  assembled  in  the  principal  church  for  divine 
service,  Xavier  as  usual  entering  the  pulpit  to 
preach  on  the  gospel  of  the  day.  In  the  course 


264 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  his  sermon,  he  suddenly  became  silent,  like  one 
carried  out,  of  himself  and  beholding  marvellous 
yet  distant  events.  His  hands  were  tightly  com- 
pressed within  each  other,  his  eyes  were  immo- 
vably fixed  on  a crucifix  suspended  from  the  vault 
of  one  of  the  larger  chapels,  his  countenance  and 
complexion  varying,  now  denoting  joy,  now  anx- 
iety, then  again  compassion  and  grief.  Incohe- 
rent sentences,  as  is  usual  in  cases  of  ecstasy, 
perplexed  and  half-completed  words,  wholly  un- 
intelligible to  his  audience,  escaped  him;  but  it 
soon  became  evident  that  he  was  alluding  to  some 
feat  of  arms,  and  that  he  could  see  the  changing 
losses  and  advantages  of  two  contending  parties, 
whereupon  his  hearers  seemed  to  become  in  almost 
as  deep  an  ecstasy  as  was  the  holy  man  him- 
self, more  especially  when  they  heard  him  mingle 
prayer  with  his  interrupted  narrative;  for  he  dis- 
tinctly reminded  our  Lord  to  watch  over  and  de- 
fend those  who  were  exposing  themselves  to  death 
for  his  sake;  that  they  belonged  to  him;  that  they 
were  few  in  number  against  thousands ; that  he 
could  not  and  must  not  allow  the  savages  to  over- 
power the  defenders  of  his  glory,  the  supporters 
of  his  faith  in  the  East.  After  thus  praying,  he 
again  reverted  to  the  battle,  with  the  same  varia- 
tions of  countenance  as  before,  till  finally  it  be- 
came perfectly  serene,  as  if  the  issue  had  proved 
exactly  as  he  wished.  His  arms  and  his  head  fell 
on  the  edge  of  the  pulpit,  in  wmch  attitude  he 
remained  silent  for  about  the  length  of  time  that 
would  be  required  to  repeat  the  Creed  twice  or 
thrice,  every  one  present  being  as  silent  as  him- 
self, aBd  breathless  with  anxiety  and  surprise. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  26b 

Their  suspense  was  of  short  duration ; for  Xa- 
vier, raising  his  head,  his  face  glowing  like  that 
of  an  angel,  emphatically  exclaimed,  “ Brethren, 
let  us  all  together  recite  a Pater  and  Ave , in  thanks- 
giving to  God  for  the  victory  with  which  he  has 
just  favored  our  fleet.  The  Acheens  are  defeated. 
On  Friday  next  this  news  will  reach  the  city,  and 
soon  afterward  our  victorious  brethren  will  arrive, 
bearing  with  them  the  spoils  taken  from  their 
enemies.”  Having  said  this,  he  quitted  the  pulpit. 
At  this  announcement,  the  people,  who  had  been 
so  terribly  depressed  by  the  previous  false  reports, 
burst  forth  in  the  expression  of  various  and  strange 
opinions,  the  greater  part  of  joy,  some  of  gratitude 
to  God,  others  of  astonishment,  others  invoking 
blessings  on  the  saint,  whilst  some  few  hoped 
the  news  was  not  too  good  to  be  true.  The  four 
intervening  days  seemed  as  long  as  a century; 
and,  on  the  Friday,  every  one  hastened  to  the 
shore  to  watch  the  approach  of  some  distant  sail 
and  to  verify  the  saint’s  words.  And,  in  truth, 
they  erred  not;  for  that  very  day  Emanuel  Go- 
digno  reached  the  port,  commissioned  to  carry  the 
news  of  the  victory  to  Mello.  Soon  afterward, 
the  commander-in-chief,  Francis  Deza,  made  his 
appearance,  together  with  his  noble  little  fleet, 
followed  by  twenty -five  of  the  finest  ships  captured 
from  the  foe  : the  rest  they  were  obliged  to  burn, 
not  having  hands  enough  to  work  them  home. 
No  sooner  was  the  squadron  in  sight,  than  Mello 
and  the  whole  city  went  forth  to  greet  them. 
Xavier  walked  first,  bearing  a large  crucifix  aloft, 
because,  as  Christ  had  given  them  the  victory,  fo 
Him  were  due  the  first  thanksgivings  and  the  first 


266 


THE  LIFE  OF 


salute  of  artillery.  On  the  disembarkation  of  the 
conquerors,  the  saint  embraced  them  every  one, 
from  first  to  last, — an  embrace  that  was  warmly 
returned,  amid  tears  of  inexpressible  delight. 

The  honors  which  this  event  procured  him,  to- 
gether with  other  affairs  relating  to  religion , induced 
Xavier  to  hasten  his  departure  from  Malacca.  As 
it  was  his  intention  to  visit  his  little  first-born 
church  on  the  coast  of  the  Fishery,  he  consigned 
the  care  of  the  youths  who,  as  we  have  already 
related,  he  was  taking  with  him  from  the  Moluccas 
to  be  educated  in  the  seminary  at  Goa,  to  Gonzalo 
Fernandez,  whose  ship  was  going  thither  direct. 
Fernandez,  being  a worthy  man,  and  much  at- 
tached to  the  saint,  accepted  the  charge,  and 
would  have  no  remuneration,  although  there  were 
nearly  twenty  of  these  youths.  All  he  asked  was 
the  pious  remembrance  of  Xavier, — a coin  in  which 
he  was  repaid  far  more  amply  than  he  had  cal- 
culated on.  Three  times  successively  did  Xavier 
warn  him  that  his  ship  would  be  in  imminent  danger 
during  this  voyage,  as  in  effect  it  was;  but  God, 
moved  by  the  prayers  of  the  saint,  and  for  the 
sake  of  those  twenty  dear  pledges  of  his  future 
hopes,  saved  the  vessel  from  being  wrecked,  and 
carried  it  safe  to. Goa.  At  the  same  time,  the  holy 
man  himself,  though  in  another  ship,  was  likewise 
in  danger  of  being  wrecked,  and  standing  equally 
in  need  of  divine  protection.  In  crossing  the  Gulf 
of  Ceylon,  a furious  east  wind  and  storm  arose,  the 
worst  ever  encountered  by  him : the  sea  rose  to 
such  a height  that  each  successive  wave  seemed  to 
bury  them : the  ship  was  heavily  laden,  and  her 
very  weight  seemed  to  be  her  security : neverthe- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  267 

less,  the  impetuosity  of  the  wind  was  such  that 
the  sailors  were  utterly  unable  to  control  her  or 
make  her  obey  the  helm.  For  three  days  and 
three  nights  were  they  in  this  hopeless  condition, 
left,  in  fact,  at  the  mercy  of  wind  and  wave.  The 
dismay  of  the  unfortunate  crew  and  passengers, 
their  screams  and  lamentations,  their  vows,  their 
tears  and  terror  at  the  approach  of  death,  seemed 
still  more  dreadful  than  death  itself.  The  very 
aspect  of  the  tempestuous  ocean  is  enough  to 
inspire  fear,  and  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  for- 
midable of  nature’s  scenes.  Amidst  all  this  dis- 
tress, the  calm  features  and  the  gentle  words  of 
the  saint  were  the  only  consolations  left  to  the 
poor  sufferers : neither  the  danger  of  drowning, 
nor  the  universal  alarm  of  all  around  him,  dis- 
turbed the  serenity  of  his  soul.  He  heard  the  con- 
fessions of  all ; he  encouraged  them  to  accept  life 
or  death  from  the  hand  of  God  as  he  might  please 
to  appoint.  Then,  retiring  to  a private  room,  he 
spent  the  rest  of  his  time  on  his  knees  before  his 
crucifix,  completely  absorbed  in  God,  as  we  are  in- 
formed by  Francis  Pereira,  one  of  his  fellow-pas- 
sengers, who,  going  to  seek  consolation  at  his 
hands,  found  him  thus  engaged,  and,  not  venturing 
to  disturb  him,  was  satisfied  with  merely  standing 
a short  time  to  look  at  him. 

The  ship,  tossed  about  in  this  manner,  was  near- 
ing the  sand-banks  of  Ceylon,  a passage  dangerous 
even  in  fair  weather,  when  Xavier,  rising  from  his 
knees,  asked  the  helmsman  for  the  sounding  lead 
and  line, — on  receiving  which,  he  tore  off  a small 
piece  of  his  poor  tattered  habit,  and,  fastening  it 
to  the  lead,  dropped  it  into  the  sea,  uttering  these 


268 


THE  LIFE  OF 


words  at  the  same  time: — “O  God  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  have  mercy  on  these  people 
and  on  me  l”  At  that  same  moment  the  sea  was 
calmed,  and  the  delighted  helmsman,  as  he  re- 
ceived back  the  sounding-lead  from  the  saint,  was 
beginning  to  exult  immoderately;  but  the  saint 
warned  him  into  composure  by  bidding  him  pre- 
pare for  other  dangers,  which  in  effect  befell  him 
on  his  return-voyage  from  Goa  to  Malacca. 

Describing  this  tempest  afterward  in  a letter  to 
S.  Ignatius  and  his  companions  at  Rome,  Xavier 
oxplains  the  workings  of  his  own  heart,  and  the 
cause  of  his  composure  at  the  prospect  of  death, 
when  those  around  him  were  weeping  and  almost 
in  despair.  We  will  quote  his  own  words,  less  in 
testimony  of  his  virtue  than  with  a view  to  the 
gratification  of  the  whole  Society,  to  whom  the 
letter  may  be  said  to  apply.  “ During  the  height 
of  the  tempest,  when  every  one  was  dreading 
death,  I commended  myself  to  God,  offering  to  him 
the  merits  of  the  saints  of  the  Church,  triumphant 
and  militant,  beginning  with  those  of  the  Society 
of  Jesus  already  deceased.  And,  in  truth,  I am 
confounded  when,  reflecting  that  I am  the  greatest 
sinner  in  the  world,  I should  nevertheless  have  ex- 
perienced so  much  consolation  in  the  midst  of  this 
storm.  I cannot  find  words  to  express  ray  feelings 
of  spiritual  delight,  as  I commended  myself  to  God, 
through  the  merits  of  my  dear  brethren  of  the 
Society,  both  living  on  earth  and  beatified  in 
heaven;  and  I must  confess  to  you  that  I am  asto- 
nished at  the  floods  of  sweet  tears  which  streamed 
from  my  eyes,  under  such  appalling  circumstances: 
hence  I then  besought  them  to  beg  of  God  that, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  269 

in  the  event  of  his  being  pleased  to  save  me  from 
this  tempest,  I might  be  thus  reserved  only  to  suffer 
other  and  greater  things  in  his  service.  I thought 
I ought  to  write  this  to  you,  my  dear  fathers  and 
dear  brothers,  to  induce  you  to  help  me  in  paying 
my  debt  of  gratitude  to  God, — a debt  which  of  my- 
self I can  never  liquidate.  When  once  I begin  to 
speak  or  write  of  our  Society,  I know  not  how  to 
finish,  or  how  to  restrain  myself  within  due  bounds: 
however,  as  the  ship  is  on  the  point  of  sailing,  I 
must  conclude  my  letter,  which  I cannot  do  in  any 
terms  more  suitable  to,  or  more  expressive  of,  my 
sentiments  than  these : — If  ever  I forget  thee , 0 
Society  of  Jesus , may  my  own  right  hand  be  forgotten!” 

The  storm  being  miraculously  appeased,  the  rest 
of  the  voyage  was  prosperous,  and  they  reached 
Cochin  on  the  12th  of  January,  1548.  Here  Xarvier 
remained  nearly  a fortnight,  in  the  service  of  the 
Christians,  and  preparing  letters  for  the  king  Don 
John  of  Portugal,  and  for  other  friends  in  Europe, 
to  be  forwarded  by  the  ships  which  annually  sailed 
at  this  season  of  the  year.  He  next  visited  Cape 
Comorin,  and  from  thence  proceeded  to  the  Fishery. 
It  would  be  impossible  to  describe  the  delight  and 
reverence  with  which  those  fervent  Christians 
welcomed  their  holy  father : they  went  forth  to 
meet  him,  singing  canticles,  and  celebrated  his  ar- 
rival with  devotion  no  less  than  with  affection.  The 
saint  was  as  much  gratified  as  his  children  when 
he  witnessed  the  great  increase  of  Christianity  in 
numbers  and  in  virtue,  thanks  to  his  toils  and  those 
of  his  immediate  successors  in  those  parts.  In  the 
year  1548,  Father  Francis  Perez  wrote  from  Goa 
that  they  reckoned  more  than  two  hundred  thou- 
23* 


270 


THE  LIFE  OF 


sand  Christians  along  the  two  coasts  starting  Iron, 
Cape  Comorin ; and  they  afterward  gave  full  evi- 
dence of  their  virtue  by  the  courage  with  which 
they  encountered  the  persecutions  raised  against 
them  by  the  Gentiles, — when,  so  far  from  denying 
their  faith,  all,  even  mere  children,  readily  pre- 
sented their  necks  to  the  executioners.  Besides 
which,  their  innocence  of  life,  and  the  miraculous 
cures  effected  by  their  prayers  and  by  the  appli- 
cation of  their  rosaries  with  lively"  faith,  excited 
the  astonishment  of  their  pagan  neighbors  and 
gained  great  respect  for  the  Christian  religion. 
Xavier  spent  the  month  of  January,  and  part  of 
February,  among  the  people  of  this  coast,  and 
from  thence  repaired  to  Manapar,  a territory  at  no 
great  distance  from  Cape  Comorin. 

Here  he  assembled  all  the  fathers  of  the  Society 
dispersed  through  these  countries,  and  gave  private 
instruction  and  advice  to  each  one  according  to  his 
necessities.  He  then  made  a regular  division  of 
the  towns  and  villages,  (probably  somewhat  in  the 
way  of  our  parishes,)  assigning  a certain  number 
to  each  one.  He  appointed  Father  Anthony  Crimi- 
nale  superior  over  the  rest.  In  order  to  maintain 
uniformity,  both  in  their  teaching  and  in  their 
mode  of  life,  he  drew  up  certain  rules  for  them  in 
writing,  well  worthy  of  insertion  here,  as  coming 
from  such  a man.  Moreover,  they  may  prove 
useful  to  others,  who,  like  them,  are  employed  in 
the  service  of  souls. 

u Let  it  be  your  first  care,”  says  he,  “ to  baptize 
children  born  in  the  places  attached  to  your  charge : 
and,  as  no  part  of  the  gospel  ministry  can  be  more 
important  than  this,  intrust  it  to  no  one  else,  but 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  271 

perform  it  yourselves  And  do  not  wait  till  the 
parents  or  parish-officers  call  you,  because  they 
may  easily  be  negligent  on  this  point;  but,  in 
order  that  none  may  die  without  baptism,  go 
through  the  villages  committed  to  you,  inquiring 
from  house  to  house  whether  there  are  infants  to 
be  baptized;  and,  where  there  are,  perform  the 
function  immediately. 

“Next  to  this,  there  is  nothing  more  essential 
than  to  instruct  children  in  the  principles  of  re- 
ligion. However,  as  you  cannot  possibly  be  in  all 
places,  be  careful  that  our  present  system  be 
carried  out, — viz.,  that  the  masters  and  catechists 
teach  them ; and,  in  all  your  visits,  assemble  the 
children  of  the  place  and  examine  them,  one  by 
one,  in  presence  of  their  masters,  noticing  the  pro- 
gress they  make  between  one  visit  and  another. 
By  this  means  the  masters  will  be  as  anxious  to 
teach  as  the  children  to  learn.  Every  Sunday  let 
the  men  assemble  in  the  church,  where,  after  the 
ordinary  devotions,  you  will  make  them  a dis- 
course, censuring  the  vices  which  seem  most  pre- 
valent, illustrating  your  discourse  with  clear  ex- 
amples and  similitudes,  such  as  may  be  intelligible 
to  all,  and  warning  them  that,  if  they  neglect  to 
amend,  God  will  chastise  them  in  this  world,  either 
by  shortening  their  lives,  or  by  delivering  them 
into  the  hands  of  pagan  kings,  who  will  tyrannize 
over  them;  and  in  the  next,  by  condemning  them 
to  eternal  torments.  Inquire  whether  the  crown 
officials  assist  at  the  public  prayers  on  Sundays. 
On  arriving  at  any  place,  ascertain  whether  any 
discords  or  enmity  exist  between  individuals,  and, 
if  so,  use  your  best  endeavors  to  restore  peace  and 


272 


THE  LIFE  OF 


kind  feeling;  and,  when  possible,  let  this  be  effected 
in  the  church  on  Sundays  when  men  are  in  ques- 
tion, and  on  Saturdays  the  women.  As  soon  as  the 
explanation  of  the  Articles  of  Faith  is  translated 
into  the  Malabar  idiom,  for  which  purpose  I leave 
Father  Francis  Coeglio  here,  have  many  copies 
taken  of  it,  and  let  it  be  read  in  church,  on  Sun- 
days to  the  men,  and  on  Saturdays  to  the  women; 
and  you  read  it  yourselves,  and  give  an  explana- 
tion of  it  in  the  places  where  you  may  chance  to 
be.  The  alms  bestowed  both  by  men  and  women, 
whether  made  as  offerings  to  the  Church,  or  in 
fulfilment  of  some  vow,  shall  be  all  divided  among 
the  poor;  nor  may  you  appropriate  so  much  as  a 
penny  of  it  to  your  own  use. 

u Every  Saturday  and  Sunday,  remind  them  all 
in  public  to  be  sure  and  inform  you  as  soon  as 
any  one  falls  ill ; adding  that  if,  through  neglect 
on  this  point,  the  sick  person  dies,  Christian  burial 
shall  be  refused,  as  the  penalty  of  this  neglect. 

“ When  you  visit  the  sick,  make  them,  in  the 
first  place,  recite  the  creed ; and,  after  each  article, 
ask  them  if  they  firmly  believe  it.  Then  make 
them  recite  the  Confiteor  and  some  other  prayers; 
after  which  you  shall  read  the  gospel  over  them. 

“ In  burials,  collect  the  children  in  the  church, 
from  whence  you  and  they  shall  go  forth  proces- 
sionally,  the  cross-bearer  going  first  and  singing 
psalms.  On  arriving  at  the  house  of  the  deceased, 
let  a responsary  be  recited,  and  another  before  the 
corpse  is  buried.  Never  fail  making  a brief  exhor- 
tation to  the  persons  present,  on  the  certainty  and 
uncertainty  of  death,  on  the  importance  of  amend- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  273 

ment,  and  of  living  virtuously,  in  order  to  di«  well 
and  enjoy  heaven. 

“ Admonish  the  men  on  Sundays,  and  the  women 
on  Saturdays,  that,  when  any  of  their  children  fall 
ill,  they  should  carry  them  to  the  church,  that  a 
gospel  may  be  there  read  over  them, — a custom 
( which  will  cause  the  parents  to  feel  great  respect 
for  the  churches,  especially  when  they  see  their 
children’s  health  improve  by  it. 

“ Try  to  remove  all  litigation  : if  there  should 
be  any  serious  cases,  make  arrangements  to  have 
them  settled  by  the  district-rulers,  on  Sundays, 
after  the  church-service.  Interfere,  however,  no 
more  than  you  can  help  in  affairs  of  this  nature ; 
and  on  no  account  omit  the  spiritual  works  of 
mercy  to  attend  to  these  temporal  concerns, — 
which,  when  of  great  consequence,  you  shall 
always  refer  to  the  Portuguese  rulers.  Endeavor 
by  all  means  to  render  yourselves  agreeable  to 
these  people,  who  are  alwa}7s  more  tractable  when 
treated  with  kindness  rather  than  with  severity. 
Never  venture  to  chastise  any  one  without  first 
consulting  Father  Criminale;  and  if  you  happen 
to  be  in  the  same  place  with  the  captain  of  the 
district,  let  him  be  the  judge.  If  any  one  should 
make  an  idol  or  pagod,  if  Father  Oriminale  ap- 
proves of  it  let  the  offender  be  expelled  the  village 
and  be  banished  to  some  other  place. 

“ Show  particular  cordiality  and  affection  to 
those  children  who  are  most  assiduous  in  attend- 
ing the  instructions,  overlooking  their  little  fail- 
ings on  these  occasions;  because  it  is  of  import- 
j ance  that  they  should  go  forth  satisfied,  instead 
of  vexed  and  disgusted. 

6 


274 


THE  LIFE  OF 


“When  any  Portuguese  are  present,  be  careful 
not  to  find  fault  with  the  natives:  on  the  contrary, 
take  their  part,  and  speak  in  their  favor;  because, 
considering  the  short  time  they  have  been  Chris- 
tians, and  the  few  means  which  they  have  of  in- 
struction, it  is  no  wonder  they  are  what  they  are : 
the  wonder  is  that  they  are  not  much  worse. 

“ Give  all  the  spiritual  help  you  can  to  the  Mala- 
bar priests,  hearing  their  confessions,  procuring 
them  facilities  for  saying  mass  and  for  giving 
good  example.  Never^either  speak  or  write  to  the 
prejudice  of  any  of  them.  Treat  the  Portuguese 
rulers  with  due  courtesy;  and  let  there  be  no  dis- 
sensions between  you  and  them.  Be  on  friendly 
terms  with  all ; but  tolerate  nothing  of  bribery, 
whatever  persuasions  they  may  use.  Eeprove 
them  for  their  extortions  on  the  Christians,  but 
kindly;  and  when  your  remonstrances  produce  no 
effect,  have  recourse  to  higher  authority. 

“Let  your  conversations  with  the  Portuguese 
always  be  of  God,  touching  on  death,  judgment, 
the  torments  of  purgatory  or  hell,  exhorting  them 
to  frequent  the  sacraments  and  to  observe  the  law 
of  God.  Whereas,  if  you  entertain  them,  and  your- 
selves, on  other  topics,  you  will  not  only  lose  your 
time,  but  also  neglect  other  duties  of  your  office. 

“Do  not  forget  to  write  to  the  fathers  and 
brothers  of  the  Society  at  Goa,  giving  them  all  the 
edifying  details  you  can;  and  write,  likewise,  to 
the  bishop  in  the  most  humble  and  respectful 
terms,  as  being  your  prelate  and  chief  superior  in 
these  parts.  Do  not  pass  over  into  any  other 
country,  even  though  the  king  of  it  should  ask 
you,  without  first  obtaining  the  consent  of  Father 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


275 


Criminale  and  the  ruler  of  the  district : you  may 
always  excuse  yourselves,  under  the  plea  of  obe- 
dience. Again,  and  again,  do  I most  earnestly 
recommend  you,  no  matter  where  you  may  bo  or 
whither  you  may  be  sent,  always  endeavor  to  be 
affable  and  cordial  toward  all;  for  you  will  thus  be 
better  able  to  benefit  souls.  May  our  Lord  assist 
you  in  producing  much  fruit  in  this  way,  and  may 
he  be  ever  with  you  all ! Amen.” 

How  anxiously  Xavier  took  to  heart  the  best 
interests  of  these  people  will  be  seen  from  another 
short  instruction,  written  at  an  earlier  period  from 
Manapar  to  Father  Mansilla,  at  the  time  he  was 
intrusted  with  the  charge  of  the  Paravans.  “I 
recommend  you,  my  very  dear  brother,  to  treat 
these  people,  especially  the  more  influential,  with 
great  tenderness  and  charity;  for,  when  once  you 
have  gained  their  affection,  you  will  be  able  to  do 
what  you  please  with  them.  Bear  their  imperfec- 
tions and  frailties  with  great  patience,  considering 
that  if  as  yet  they  are  not  so  good  as  you  could  wish, 
in  time  they  will  perhaps  become  so;  but,  even  sup- 
posing you  never  succeed  in  going  thus  far  with 
them,  be  contented  with  the  little  you  can  get,  as 
I myself  am  obliged  to  be.  Behave  toward  them 
as  a good  father  does  toward  his  naughty  children; 
and,  whatever  malice  you  perceive  in  them,  desist 
not  from  doing  them  all  the  good  you  can ; because 
our  Lord  God,  -whom  we  offend  in  many  ways, 
does  not  on  this  account  desist  from  bestowing  his 
graces  and  benefits  upon  us,  and,  though  he  could 
easily  destroy  us,  he  does  not  so  much  as  forsake 
us.  Imagine  yourself  to  be  in  purgntory,  paying 
the  peralty  of  your  sins,  and  look  upon  it  as  no 


276 


THE  LIFE  OF 


small  favor  that  you  are  permitted  at  so  easy  \ 
rate  to  liquidate  your  debt  in  this  life  rather  than 
in  the  next.”  Although,  generally  speaking,  the 
saint  was  extremely  mild  and  conciliatory,  when 
he  deemed  it  necessary  his  zeal  seemed  to  trans- 
form him  into  another  man,  and  in  defence  of  the 
sanctuary  he  mingled  bitters  with  his  sweets,  thus 
to  compound  a salutary  medicine.  Take  the  fol- 
lowing passage  from  another  part  of  the  same 
letter  to  Mansilla  : — “ When  you  cannot  prevail  on 
the  good  to  do  as  they  ought,  you  must  have  re- 
course to  that  act  of  mercy  which  consists  in  chas- 
tising those  who  need  it:  you  know  that  it  is  a 
great  sin  not  to  punish  those  who  deserve  it, 
especially  when  they  scandalize  others.  I confess 
to  you  that  I regret  being  obliged  to  live,  when  I 
see  such  a number  of  offences  committed  against 
God  and  am  not  able  to  prevent  them.  There  is 
nothing  which  weighs  more  heavily  upon  me  than 
not  having  been  more  solicitous  in  restraining 
those  who  so  cruelly  offend  God.” 

Having  thus  settled  the  affairs  of  his  church  on 
the  coast  of  Fishery,  he  crossed  over  to  the  isle  of 
Ceylon,  where  his  heart  told  him,  or  rather  God 
suggested  to  his  heart,  that  the  precious  seed,  that 
is  to  say,  the  blood  of  all  those  valiant  martyrs  of 
Christ,  would  produce  an  abundant  harvest.  Nor 
were  his  hopes  deceived.  Entering  the  kingdom 
of  Kandy,  the  most  powerful  in  the  island,  he  be- 
gan at  once  to  preach,  and  in  a very  short  time 
gained  over  the  king  to  the  faith.  It  is  true,  he 
did  not  dare  publicly  to  announce  the  fact,  or  sti- 
mulate his  subjects  to  embrace  Christianity ; for, 
if  he  had,  the  neighboring  kings  would  have 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  277 

leagued  against  him,  and  war  would  have  been 
the  inevitable  result.  He  was  anxious  to  secure 
the  protection  of  Portugal;  hut  the  Governor  of 
India  had  other  more  weighty  affairs  in  hand,  and 
could  not  spare  soldiers  at  that  time : moreover, 
many  of  his  councillors  looked  more  to  the  tem- 
poral interests  of  the  crown  than  to  the  propaga- 
tion of  the  faith.  Xavier  resolved  to  go  and  con- 
sult him  in  person  on  the  affair  of  the  King  of 
Kandy,  as  well  as  apply  for  the  investiture  of  the 
sovereignty  of  Moro  in  favor  of  a son  of  Aerio, 
King  of  Ternate : for  this  purpose  he  sailed  at 
once  from  Ceylon  to  Goa,  and,  there  leaving  the 
ambassador  sent  by  the  former  king,  he  pursued 
his  way  to  Bazaim,  where  di  Castro  then  was. 
His  reception  was  most  cordial;  and  the  governor, 
who  had  heard  so  much  of  his  wonderful  deeds, 
was  delighted  to  be  able  to  converse  with  him, 
and  professed  himself  most  anxious  to  do  what- 
ever the  saint  wished.  He  consented  to  the  in- 
vestiture of  the  King  of  Ternate’s  son,  and  to  the 
proposals  made  on  the  part  of  the  King  of  Kandy, 
sending  orders  for  troops  to  be  sent  to  him  as  re- 
quested, and  also  that  the  ambassador  who  re- 
mained in  Goa,  intending  to  be  baptized,  should  be 
treated  with  marked  courtesy  and  honor.  And, 
in  return  for  thus  complying  with  the  desires  of 
the  holy  man,  di  Castro  begged  he  would  spend 
the  winter  of  that  year  in  Goa,  where  he  hoped 
to  meet  him  soon  and  to  consult  him  on  the  affairs 
of  his  soul.  This  arrangement  proved  more  ad- 
vantageous to  the  governor  than  he  was  aware  of 
at  the  time  he  proposed  it;  for  a slow  fever  soon 
afterward  seized  him,  which,  though  apparently 

24 


278 


THE  LIFE  OF 


trifling  at  first,  proved  too  obstinate  to  be  checked, 
and  ultimately  carried  him  to  the  grave.  He  re- 
turned to  Goa  in  a state  of  great  debility,  and, 
that  he  might  be  at  liberty  to  prepare  himself  for 
eternity,  he  threw  the  chief  burden  of  the  adminis- 
tration on  his  council,  and  placed  his  soul  in  the 
hands  of  Father  Francis,  with  whom  he  spent  the 
greater  part  of  the  day,  deriving  much  benefit  and 
consolation  from  hearing  him  speak  on  heavenly 
things.  Toward  the  end  of  May,  letters  arrived 
from  the  King  of  Portugal,  who,  to  recompense 
his  faithful  services,  prolonged  the  term  of  go- 
vernment for  another  three  years,  and  conferred 
on  him  the  title  of  viceroy,  to  which  were  added 
several  other  marks  of  royal  favor.  But  di  Castro 
scorned  the  world,  which  seemed  to  offer  him  three 
years  of  honor  with  one  hand,  whilst  with  the 
other  it  was  actually  extinguishing  the  last  spark 
of  life ) and,  arming  himself  with  the  holy  sacra- 
ments of  the  Church,  and  other  spiritual  aids  prof- 
fered by  the  saint,  he  died  calmly  on  the  6th  of 
June  that  same  year. 

Before  Xavier  quitted  the  place,  he  met  (not  by 
accident,  but  by  divine  dispensation)  with  a noble 
young  Portuguese  named  Roderick  Secheira,  who 
seemed  pleased;  whereas  the  saint  looked  grave 
and  surprised.  Secheira  had  by  no  means  led  an 
exemplary  life,  and  about  two  years  before  had 
committed  some  atrocity  at  Malacca,  which  com- 
pelled him  to  flee  for  his  life : he  sought  refuge  in 
the  hospital  where  Xavier  happened  to  be  lodging, 
waiting  the  departure  of  a ship  for  the  Moluccas. 
With  his  usual  affability,  he  showed  much  kind- 
ness to  the  young  man,  all  of  course  directed  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  279 

his  salvation.  He  led  him  to  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  finally  induced  him  to  make  a general 
confession  and  enter  upon  a new  course  of  life. 
Conceiving  the  enervating  climate,  and  the  luxu- 
rious, sensual  mode  of  life  out  there,  as  being 
dangerous  to  one  of  Secheira’s  temperament,  he 
strongly  urged  him  to  return  to  Europe,  which  the 
other  solemnly  pledged  himself  to  do.  His  pro- 
mise was  but  partially  fulfilled;  for  on  his  arrival 
at  Goa,  from  whence  he  intended  to  sail,  the  offer 
of  an  appointment  quite  seduced  him  from  his  good 
purpose;  and,  proving  unfaithful  to  God,  we  cannot 
be  surprised  that  he  should  soon  have  become 
worse  than  ever:  more  than  two  years  had  elapsed 
since  he  had  approached  the  holy  tribunal  of  pe- 
nance. Now,  when  he  thus  accidentally  encoun- 
tered Xavier,  he  felt  much  confounded,  and  would 
gladly  have  avoided  him  if  he  could  have  done  so 
with  civility;  but,  as  he  could  not,  he  assumed  a 
free  and  easy  air,  accosted  Xavier,  and  took  his 
hand  as  if  to  kiss  it.  But  the  saint  withdrew 
with  an  expression  of  horror,  and,  compassionate 
as  he  naturally  was,  he  nevertheless  sternly  said, 
“What!  still  here,  my  son?  still  in  India?  How 
is  it  that  you  are  not  in  Europe?  What  is  become 
of  the  promise  which  you  made  to  God  and  to  me, 
and  for  the  fulfilment  of  which  you  actually  left 
Malacca?”  Ashamed,  and  reproved  by  his  own 
conscience,  as  well  as  by  the  words  of  the  saint., 
he  tried  to  stammer  out  some  sort  of  excuse ; but 
Xavier  was  resolved  not  to  let  him  off  so  easily, 
and  replied,  “ Admitting,  then,  the  blame  to  rest 
on  those  who  hindered  your  return  to  Portugal,  so 
far,  at  least,  as  that  question  is  concerned,  pray, 


280 


THE  LIFE  OF 


what  excuse  have  you  for  not  having  teen  to  con- 
fession for  more  than  two  years?  I cannot  restore 
my  friendship  to  you  unless  you  first  return  to  the 
grace  and  friendship  of  Almighty  God.”  He  said 
so  much,  and  so  effectually,  that  the  young  man. 
unable  to  resist,  promised  to  return  soon  to  him, 
and  again  put  his  soul  in  order,  under  his  direc- 
tion ; and  so  he  did,  and  from  thenceforward  to 
the  end  of  his  life  persevered  in  a course  of  Chris- 
tian virtue.  With  a view  to  his  spiritual  profit, 
Secheira  wished  to  remain  a few  days  in  the  same 
hospital  as  Xavier,  and  relates  that,  feeling  curious 
to  know  how  the  saint  spent  the  night,  he  watched 
him  several  times  through  the  crevices  in  the  door, 
and  saw  that,  whilst  every  one  else  was  asleep,  he 
was  on  his  knees,  with  his  hands  clasped  on  his 
breast,  praying  before  a crucifix;  that,  after  re- 
maining thus  engaged  for  a considerable  time,  he 
rested  with  his  head  on  a stone  for  two  or  three 
hours,  when  he  arose,  recited  the  Divine  Office , and 
then  said  mass. 

With  regard  to  the  Divine  Office , we  may  here 
state  that  he  had  an  indult  from  the  Holy  See, 
authorizing  him  to  say  the  Office  of  three  lessons, 
which  is  considerably  shorter  than  that  which  is 
common  to  ecclesiastics;  yet,  however  much  he 
might  be  oppressed  with  labor  and  fatigue,  he 
never  availed  himself  of  this  privilege : on  mam 
occasions,  when  short  of  time,  he  would  entirely 
omit  his  meals  and  rest,  but  never  this  great  duty, 
referring  so  immediately  to  God  : not  only  did  he 
invariably  recite  (and  with  the  greatest  possible 
respect  too)  the  whole  of  the  canonical  hours,  but 
be  even  said  the  hymn  Veni  Creator  Spiritus  before 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  281 

he  entered  on  the  recital  of  several  of  the  hours , 
doing  this  out  of  devotion  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  from 
whom  he  received  such  signal  favors. 

As  soon  as  Xavier  returned  to  Goa  from  Bazaim, 
he  sent  Father  Francis  Perez  and  Brother  Boch 
Oliviera  to  Malacca,  giving  them  instructions,  both 
in  words  and  writing,  as  to  the  method  they  were 
to  pursue  there.  The  reader  will  not  be  displeased 
to  see  the  minuteness  with  which  he  entered  into 
details.  As  Oliviera  was  intended  to  teach  in  the 
schools,  he  bids  him  teach  the  children  to  read 
from  books  treating  on  the  saints’  lives,  rather 
than  from  curious  or  controversial  works,  more 
calculated  to  inspire  quarrels  and  dissensions  than 
to  nourish  piety  and  good  morals.  Nothing  seems 
to  have  been  too  great  or  too  trivial  to  escape  his 
zeal  when  the  honor  of  God  and  the  benefit  of 
souls  were  in  question.  The  two  zealous  laborers 
reached  Malacca  in  safety,  and  laid  the  foundations 
of  the  college  of  the  Society,  which  proved  to  be 
of  immense  service  to  Japan,  China,  the  Moluccas, 
and  other  apostolic  missions. 

During  his  sojourn  at  Goa,  the  holy  father 
was  able  to  enjoy  a little  peace ; and  he  availed 
himself  of  it,  that  he  might  give  himself  in  a 
special  manner  to  contemplation;  for  this  was 
the  only  restorative  he  would  admit  of  after 
his  long  journeys  and  his  overwhelming  labors : 
he  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  days  and  nights 
in  prayer;  and,  as  the  Blessed  Sacrament  w7as  the 
special  object  of  his  devotion,  he  chose  for  his 
place  of  prayer  a small  tribune  in  the  college, 
opening  into  the  church.  His  spiritual  enjoyments 
here  were  known  only  to  God  and  himself;  but  it 
24* 


282 


THE  LIFE  OF 


s well  for  us  that  he  could  not  always  conceal 
within  the  limits  of  his  heart  the  fire  which  was 
enkindled  there : some  symptoms  would  betray 
themselves  in  spite  of  his  habitual  caution.  He 
was  repeatedly  seen  in  a state  of  ecstasy  as  he  was 
walking  in  the  college  garden,  where  he  often  re- 
mained in  the  coldest  nights,  unconscious  of  the 
severity  of  the  atmosphere.  On  some  of  these 
occasions  he  has  been  seen  to  rise  gradually  from 
the  ground  and  rest  suspended  in  the  air  for  some 
considerable  time.  Others  state  that  they  have 
known  him,  when  walking  between  two  small 
chapels  situated  nearly  opposite  each  other,  cry  out 
aloud  to  God,  “No  more,  O Lord,  no  morel”  and 
then  impetuously  open  the  front  of  his  habit,  to 
cool  the  ardor  of  his  burning  breast,  the  baring 
of  which  did  not  always  suffice;  for  he  was  some- 
times obliged  to  apply  wet  cloths,  or  even  plunge 
entirely  into  cold  water,  so  overpowering  was  this 
paradisal  incendiarism.  One  day,  as  Don  P.  di 
Castro  was  crossing  one  of  the  squares  of  Goa, 
where  business  had  likewise  carried  Xavier,  he 
suddenly  saw  him  raised  in  the  air,  several  inches 
from  the  ground.  Awe-struck  at  such  a spectacle, 
di  Castro  begged  the  saint’s  companion  to  arouse 
him,  and  make  him  speak,  thinking  to  hear  some- 
thing wonderful  of  God  and  heaven : he  fixed  his 
eyes  on  the  ecstatic  face,  which  shone  like  a sun 
and  was  completely  environed  with  most  brilliant 
rays.  Di  Castro  fell  on  his  knees  at  the  saint’s 
feet,  and,  being  fortunate  enough  to  extort  a few 
words  from  him,  he  returned  home  full  of  asto- 
nishment and  devotion. 

Our  Lord  did  not  confine  the  manifestations  of 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


283 


these  special  favors  within  the  mere  limits  of  the 
college,  as  many  instances  will  show.  A furious 
elephant  contrived  to  escape  from  his  menagerie, 
and,  rushing  through  the  streets,  created  terror 
and  confusion  in  all  directions.  The  saint,  who 
was  walking  along  at  the  time,  with  his  whole  soul 
absorbed  in  God,  was  quite  unconscious  of  the 
commotion, — whereupon  the  people  screamed  out 
aloud  to  warn  him  of  his  danger;  but  he  neither 
saw  nor  heard  any  thing.  Meantime  the  infu- 
riated animal  was  close  upon  him,  and  would  in- 
fallibly have  tossed  him  high  into  the  air,  if  our 
Lord  had  not  interposed  his  arm : the  elephant 
stopped  short,  and  in  a moment  or  two,  without 
any  apparent  cause,  turned  off  in  another  direction. 

The  saint  was  accustomed,  after  his  slight  morn- 
ing refection,  to  withdraw  to  a hidden  corner  of 
the  belfry,  and  there  spend  two  or  three  hours  in 
sweet  entertainment  with  God ; but,  as  he  was 
not  always  able  to  restrain  himself  within  the 
prefixed  limits  of  the  time  prescribed,  he  made  an 
agreement  with  a youth  named  Andrew,  belonging 
to  the  seminary,  to  come  and  call  him  at  a certain 
predetermined  hour.  Once  in  particular,  when  he 
had  an  appointment  with  the  viceroy,  he  desired 
Andrew  to  call  him  about  two  hours  before  mid- 
day. The  youth  obeyed,  but  on  entering  the  bel- 
fry he  found  the  saint  seated  on  a stool,  his  hands 
crossed  on  his  breast,  and  his  eyes  and  face  shining 
like  the  sun.  Andrew  stood  for  some  time  gazing 
in  mute  delight,  then  called  him,  but  received  no 
answer:  he  raised  his  voice  still  louder,  made  a 
noise  with  his  feet,  and  slammed  the  door;  but 
tho  saint  was  evidently  too  much  absorbed  in  God 


284 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  heed  what  passed  around  him.  The  youth, 
therefore,  went  away,  and  returned  again  after 
an  interval  of  two  hours,  and  found  h-im  precisely 
in  the  same  state ; whereupon  he  shook  him  so 
roughly  that  the  saint  aroused  himself,  as  if  from 
a profound  lethargy,  and,  finding  that  he  had  been 
there  four  hours  instead  of  two,  he  set  off  in  a 
hurry  with  Andrew  to  the  palace  of  the  viceroy. 
Scarcely,  however,  had  he  stepped  out  into  the 
street,  when  he  again  fell  into  a rapture,  racing 
confusedly  up  and  down  the  streets  of  Goa,  with 
such  velocity  that  his  companion,  young  and  alert 
as  he  was,  could  with  difficulty  keep  pace  with  him. 
At  length,  as  evening  drew  on,  he  recovered  himself, 
and,  perceiving  that  it  was  now  impossible  to  keep 
his  appointment  at  the  palace,  he  said  to  Andrew, 
“Let  us  return  home,  my  child.  God  would  have 
this  day  all  to  himself : we  must  do  some  other 
day  what  we  have  been  unable  to  do  to-day.” 

But  his  close  union  with  God  did  not  at  all  in- 
terfere with  his  indefatigable  labors  for  the  wel- 
fare of  others.  Incredible  was  the  fruit  arising 
from  his  preaching,  instructing  children,  serving 
in  the  hospitals  and  prisons,  as  well  as  in  private 
houses  : nothing  of  all  this  can  be  more  remark- 
able than  the  perseverance  with  which  he  followed 
up  his  plan  for  the  conversion  of  a certain  noto- 
rious sinner,  a soldier  of  the  most  profligate  and 
vicious  habits,  a gambler,  a blasphemer, — one,  in 
fine,  who  never  seemed  to  think  either  of  God  or  of 
his  soul.  For  eighteen  years  he  had  never  entered 
a confessional  but  once,— -when  he  applied  to  the 
Yicar  of  Goa,  from  whom  he  wanted  to  extort  ab- 
solution, without  the  slightest  intention  of  amend- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  285 

ing  his  life.  Living  among  Christians,  he  had 
not  wished  to  be  taken  for  a Turk,  therefore  had 
presented  himself  with  the  rest  of  his  comrades 
to  the  vicar,  who,  seeing  no  symptom  of  contrition, 
dismissed  him  without  absolution,  believing  him 
unworthy  to  receive  it.  Rendered  desperate  by 
the  refusal,  and  deeming  himself  in  a manner  sen- 
tenced to  reprobation,  he  determined  to  indulge 
himself  in  every  excess  during  his  brief  term  on 
earth,  and  accordingly  led  a life  that  would  almost 
have  degraded  a brute  beast.  Unworthy  as  such 
a man  was  of  the  grace  of  conversion,  the  holy 
father  nevertheless  deserved  the  grace  of  convert- 
ing him,  and  God  gave  him  this  grace  as  the  re- 
ward of  his  charity.  A fleet  was  preparing  for 
the  conquest  of  Aden,  an  important  fortress  over- 
looking the  Straits  of  Mecca,  then  in  possession  of 
the  Moors.  This  brought  the  soldier  to  Goa;  and 
Xavier,  who  was  ever  in  search  of  such  precious 
prey,  was  duly  informed  by  some  of  his  friends  of 
the  condition  of  this  unfortunate  man.  Nothing 
more  was  needed  to  awaken  the  most  lively  in- 
terest in  his  welfare  : he  found  means  of  getting 
himself  introduced  to  him,  and  from  the  first 
treated  him  with  the  greatest  attention  and  kind- 
ness; whilst  in  the  mean  time  he  was  shedding 
floods  of  bitter  tears  for  him  before  God,  and  con- 
tinued to  do  so  till  the  time  came  for  the  depart- 
ure of  the  fleet,  when  Xavier,  meeting  him,  in- 
quired which  of  the  ships  he  was  to  sail  in,  and 
under  what  captain.  The  soldier  named  both. 
“How  fortunate  for  me!'’  exclaimed  the  saint, 
with  a countenance  expressive  of  delight;  “I  am 
just  going  in  the  same  ship so,  taking  him  by 


286 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  arm,  he  said,  “Let  us  go  together  like  com. 
rades.”  The  soldier,  who  had  not  the  slightest 
suspicion  of  the  father’s  aim,  felt  himself  honored, 
and  agreed  to  the  proposal,  though  with  a certain 
sense  of  shame  at  seeing  himself  thus  noticed  by  a 
man  universally  looked  upon  as  a saint.  The  two 
accordingly  entered  the  ship  together,  to  the  high 
delight  of  the  captain,  who  understood  nothing 
of  the  cause,  but  who  felt  Xavier’s  presence  was 
a pledge  of  safety  to  the  vessel.  The  soldiers,  no- 
ticing the  close  intimacy  between  the  saint  and  one 
whom  even  they  looked  upon  as  an  abominable  re- 
probate, were  somewhat  scandalized,  and  censured 
him,  whispering  to  each  other,  as  the  Pharisees 
did  when  our  merciful  Lord  received  the  penitent 
Magdalen,  If  Father  Francis  knew  what  that  man  is 
whom  he  has  chosen  for  his  friend,  surely  he  would 
spurn  him!  They  ate  and  conversed  together,  and, 
when  the  soldier  took  his  place  at  the  gaming- 
table, Xavier  was  still  at  his  side,  apparently  re- 
joicing at  his  success  or  regretting  his  losses,  as 
the  case  might  be,  and  generally  seconding  his  ar- 
guments, even  passing  over,  as  if  unheard,  the 
oaths  which,  from  a long-standing  bad  habit, 
slipped  from  him.  In  this  manner  he  gained  more 
than  his  good  will:  the  man  actually  became  at- 
tached to  him ; and  then,  by  degrees,  the  saint 
began  to  speak  to  him  of  his  soul, — of  the  facility 
with  which  God  forgives  us  our  sins  in  these  days 
of  mercy  and  salvation;  that  no  one  ought  to  de- 
spair, however  great  his  sins  may  be,  because  God 
can  soon  change  a great  sinner  into  a saint;  that, 
if  a soul  now  in  hell  could  return  to  life,  there  is 
no  penance,  however  severe  and  terrible,  which  he 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


287 


i 

i 

.8 

ifi 


would  not  willingly  undergo,  if  by  so  doing  he 
could  but  escape  falling  back  into  those  dreadful 
flames!  how  much  more  reason  have  we  to  sub- 
mit willingly  to  the  light  satisfaction  which  God 
requires  of  us,  to  save  us  from  being  sentenced  to 
those  torments, — namely,  recourse  to  the  tribunal 
of  penance!  He  said  much  more  in  a similar 
strain,  as  opportunity  offered,  and  at  last,  in  a mo- 
ment of  confidential  familiarity,  he  asked  him,  as 
if  accidentally,  how  long  it  was  since  he  had  been 
to  confession.  The  soldier  blushed  and  sighed, 
yet  owned  the  truth, — that  he  had  not  been  for 
eighteen  years;  adding  that  the  fault  was  not  en- 
tirely his  own,  because  he  had  once  made  the  at- 
tempt, but  had  found  the  Vicar  of  Goa  so  harsh, 
who  had  sent  him  away  without  absolution,  that 
he  had  made  up  his  mind,  come  what  would,  never 
to  make  another  trial  or  expose  himself  to  such 
an  insult  again;  and  he  concluded  in  these  words: 
— “ The  vicar  drove  me  away,  just  as  if  Christ 
had  not  died  for  me  as  well  as  for  others,  or  as  if 
any  soul  was  unfit  for  the  grace  of  God.”  This 
answer  satisfied  Xavier  that  he  was  gaining 

1 ground;  so  he  began  to  express  some  little  sur- 
prise at  the  vicar’s  conduct,  observing  that  one 
ought  to  be  very  kind  to  sinners,  like  God,  who, 
though  the  offended  party,  receives  them  never- 
theless with  the  sweetest  benignity  as  soon  as 
ever  they  sincerely  return  to  him:  how  much  more 
reason,  then,  have  we  to  show  indulgence  to  each 
other,  sinners  as  we  all  are!  surely  it  is  but  fair 
that  we  should  treat  our  brethren  with  the  same 
mercy  which  we  hope  to  receive  at  the  hands  of 
God ; adding,  “ But  do  not  be  uneasy  on  the  sub- 


ject.  I "Will  hear  you;  and,  supposing  your  sins  were 
a thousandfold  greater  both  in  number  and  quality 
than  they  are,  I have  patience  enough  to  heat 
you,  and  ample  faculties  to  absolve  you.  As 
for  the  penance,  you  need  not  trouble  yourself 
about  it;  we  will  share  it  between  us  like  friends, 
and  the  two  together  will  manage  to  square  the 
account  with  Heaven : all  I require  of  you  is  to 
make  a general  confession  of  your  whole  life,  and 
I pledge  you  my  word  that,  when  this  is  done, 
you  will  own  that  you  have  never  in  your  life  felt 
so  happy.  Conceive,  if  you  should  die,  still  laden 
with  all  these  sins,  (as  may  easily  happen  to  one 
of  }^our  profession,  so  often  in  battle,  especially 
in  these  parts,)  and  without  having  time  to  say, 
Jesus , help  me!  what,  I say,  would  become  of 
you?”  Hereupon  he  began  to  explain  to  him  how 
he  ought  to  look  over  the  events  of  his  previous 
life,  during  the  greater  part  of  which  his  con- 
science had  evidently  made  account  of  nothing; 
leading  him,  as  it  were,  by  the  hand  in  search  of 
his  sins,  the  saint,  in  fact,  making  the  greater 
part  of  the  examination,  the  poor  man  all  the  time 
feeling  strangely  affected,  and  leaving  him  to  do 
just  as  he  pleased  with  him.  So  far  from  Xavier 
finding  it  necessary  to  beg  of  him  to  make  his  con- 
fession, the  soldier  penitently  begged  him  not  to 
abhor  him,  not  to  reject  him,  although,  indeed,  he 
w'as  a much  greater  sinner,  as  he  said,  than  the 
holy  man  could  possibly  imagine.  Affairs  were 
thus  progressing,  when  the  fleet  halted  at  Coulan. 
“ Xavier  and  the  soldier  disembarked  side  by 
side,”  writes  the  eye-witness  who  juridically  at- 
tested the  fact,  “ I following,  and  others  with  me, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  289 

curious  to  see  what  and  where  the  two  were  going 
about;  for,  surprised  at  the  strange  intimacy 
which  we  had  observed  between  two  characters 
so  wholly  dissimilar,  we  preconcerted  a scheme  to 
watch  the  issue  of  this  intimacy.  Secreting  our- 
selves accordingly,  we  saw  them  enter  a wood, 
and,  after  proceeding  a short  distance,  Father 
Francis  seated  himself  at  the  foot  of  a tree,  the 
soldier  kneeling  down  at  his  feet,  weeping  bitterly. 
Having  completed  his  confession,  the  holy  man 
gave  him  for  his  penance  one  Pater  and  one  Ave 
Maria  only,  which  very  much  astonished  the  sol- 
dier : his  admiration,  however,  soon  surpassed  his 
astonishment,  when  he  understood  the  cause  of 
this  leniency.  Xavier  withdrew  a little  farther 
into  the  wood,  uncovered  the  upper  part  of  his 
person,  and,  holding  a crucifix  in  his  left  hand, 
with  the  other  he  began  to  scourge  himself  most 
unmercifully  with  a discipline  made  of  iron  chains: 
in  a short  time  the  blood  streamed  down  his  shoul- 
ders, but  still  he  desisted  not.  The  soldier,  either 
hearing  the  sound  of  the  blows,  or  suspecting 
something  unusual,  stealthily  crept  near  the  spot 
where  he  was,  and  caught  the  father  in  the  very  act 
of  his  self-slaughter:  all  at  once  he  recollected  the 
agreement  made  of  sharing  the  penance  between 
them,  and  his  heart  instantly  suggested  that  this 
blood  was  streaming  down  in  expiation  of  his  sins. 
Unable  to  control  himself,  he  rushed  forward,  fell 
bathed  in  tears  at  Xavier’s  feet,  and  exclaimed, 
( Ah,  father!  this  penance  belongs  to  me,  who  am 
the  sinner,  not  to  you,  who  are  a saint;’  and, 
taking  the  heavy  discipline  from  his  hand,  he  tore 
off  his  own  clothes,  and  inflicted  on  himself  a severe 
T 25 


290 


THE  LIFE  OF 


-flagellation,  to  the  admiration  and  extreme  edifica- 
tion of  myself  and  my  fellow-spies.  Having  so  far 
satisfied  their  devotion  and  penance,  the  saint 
embraced  him,  took  leave  of  him,  and  told  him 
he  was  returning  to  Goa,  having  accompanied  the 
fleet  solely  on  his  account.” 

He  gave  him  most  useful  advice  for  the  future 
regulation  of  his  conduct,  tending  to  help  him  on 
to  perseverance,  and  to  a salutary  fear  of  God, 
who  does  not  always  thus  run  after  those  who  flee 
from  him.  He  left  the  soldier  so  completely  an 
altered  man,  that  on  his  return  from  the  enterprise 
against  Aden  he  entered  a very  strict  religious 
order,  and  persevered  in  the  service  of  God  to  his 
last  breath. 

On  his  return  to  Goa,  the  holy  father  resumed 
his  pious  works,  and,  God  so  willing,  often  with 
miraculous  effects.  A certain  man  was  so  poor 
that  he  was  quite  unable  to  maintain  his  wife  and 
children  : driven  to  desperation  by  their  distress, 
he  resolved  to  commit  suicide,  and,  concealing  a 
rope  under  his  cloak,  he  withdrew  to  a retired  spot 
to  hang  himself.  Xavier  was  in  the  church  of  S. 
Paul,  hearing  confessions,  when,  favored  with  a 
prophetic  light,  he  suddenly  quitted  the  confes- 
sional, and,  without  allowing  himself  time  to  fetch 
his  cap,  hurried  out  and  met  the  wretched  man 
just  in  time  to  prevent  the  rash  act.  Affectionately 
embracing  him,  he  took  him  back  to  the  college, 
where  he  was  kept  and  well  treated  for  several 
days,  during  which  the  saint  went  about  the  streets 
begging  alms  for  him  ; and,  having  procured  suffi- 
cient for  his  necessities,  he  sent  him  home  happy 
and  corrected. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


291 


Catherine  Keaves  attests  that  for  a long  time 
she  had  been  suffering  under  a very  dreadful  temp- 
tation : as  a last  resource,  she  went  to  confession 
to  our  saint,  to  whom  she  recounted  her  trials. 
He  consoled  and  encouraged  her,  saying,  “ Feai 
not : from  henceforth  you  will  be  relieved/’  The 
issue  verified  the  promise  : the  temptation  imme- 
diately vanished,  a delicious  calm  replacing  the 
boisterous  storm  which  had  so  long  filled  her  heart. 
The  pious  lady,  after  this,  frequently  confessed  to 
the  saint;  and  she  declares  that,  as  he  pronounced 
the  words  of  absolution,  she  felt  that  a heavenly 
virtue  issued  from  him,  and  produced  a spiritual 
joy  in  her  such  as  she  never  experienced  on  other 
occasions.  One  day  she  took  the  liberty  of  noticing 
this  circumstance  to  him,  when  he  made  her  no 
other  answer  than  this  : — “ All  you  have  to  do  is  to 
return  thanks  to  God,  who  has  been  pleased  to  for- 
give you  your  sins.” 

There  was  a beautiful  horse  in  the  town,  so 
vicious  that  no  one  was  able  to  shoe  it : the  owner 
of  it  was  one  day  deploring  the  circumstance  to  the 
saint,  who,  pitying  his  friend,  asked  to  see  the  ani- 
mal, and  the  two  accordingly  repaired  to  the  stable  : 
he  put  his  hand  on  the  horse’s  flank,  patting  him 
caressingly,  and  said,  “ Horse,  how  is  it  that,  being 
so  handsome,  you  so  obstinately  refuse  to  be 
shod  ?”  then,  turning  to  his  master,  added,  “ Send 
for  the  farrier.”  When  he  made  his  appearance, 
he  declined  the  task,  saying  he  had  attempted  it 
too  often  ever  to  expose  himself  to  the  danger 
again:  the  saint  bade  him  confide  in  God,  and 
make  another  trial;  whereupon  the  farrier  con- 
sented, and  the  horse  stood  as  quiet  as  a lamb 


292 


THE  LIFE  OF 


during  tlie  whole  operation,  nor  from  that  day  did 
he  ever  show  the  least  symptom  of  restiveness. 

Whilst  St.  Francis  was  thus  working  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Indies,  our  Lord  was  pleased  to  send 
him  a fresh  reinforcement  of  ten  members  of  the 
Society, — a small  supply  if  considered  only  with 
regard  to  numbers,  but  strong  in  reality,  since  each 
one  of  them  was  equivalent  to  many  of  ordinary 
stamp.  They  arrived  at  Goa  in  September,  1548  : 
among  them  was  Father  Gaspar  Barseus,  a man  of 
heroic  virtue.  Great  was  the  delight  and  cor- 
diality with  which  these  two  illustrious  men  mutu- 
ally gave  and  received  the  greeting  embrace.  It 
is  only  fair  to  state  that  these  new  workmen,  as 
well  as  the  rest  of  the  Society  who  passed  over  to 
the  Indies,  were  chiefly  induced  to  do  so  by  the 
fervent  letters  written  by  our  saint  to  his  brethren 
in  Europe,  letters  penned  in  so  generous  a spirit  as 
would  seem  to  emanate  from  a seraph  rather  than 
from  the  heart  of  a mere  mortal  man.  When  his 
letters  were  received  in  Borne,  cardinals,  and  even 
the  sovereign  pontiff  himself,  would  ask  to  see 
them  ; and,  what  is  still  more  worthy  of  record,  St. 
Philip  Neri  read  them  with  delight,  and  would 
show  them  to  his  disciples,  to  excite  and  increase 
their  fervor  and  zeal  of  soul;  nay,  they  so  far 
worked  upon  the  burning  charity  of  St.  Philip, 
that  he  collected  as  many  as  twenty  of  his  fol- 
lowers, intending  to  go  with  them  and  labor  for  the 
salvation  of  the  savages  of  India,  had  not  Almighty 
God,  through  the  medium  of  St.  John  the  Evange- 
list, given  him  to  understand  that  He  had  destined 
him,  not  to  India,  but  to  Borne.  To  my  mind, 
this  would  seem  an  illustrious  decision  on  the  part 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


293 


of  an  all-wise  and  divine  Providence,  intending 
that  when  the  head  of  the  Christian  world  should 
be  sanctified  through  the  toilsome  efforts  of  St. 
Philip,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  would  at  the  same 
time  be  diffused  throughout  the  whole  world. 

Nor  can  I here  refrain  from  alluding  to  another 
precious  fruit  resulting  from  the  letters  of  St.  Fran- 
cis Xavier ; for  to  them  is  the  Society  indebted  for 
the  acquisition  of  so  excellent  a subject  as  Father  Je- 
rome Nadal.  He  was  studying  in  Paris  at  the  same 
time  as  Ignatius,  who,  discerning  the  admirable 
dispositions  of  the  young  man,  tried  to  win  him 
over  to  his  purpose  \ and  so  did  Faber  and  Laynez, 
but  unsuccessfully,  Nadal  declaring  he  would  fol- 
low no  other  guide  but  the  gospel,  and  that,  as  for 
Ignatius  and  his  companions,  he  could  not  compre- 
hend what  sort  of  scheme  they  had  got  hold  of,  or 
what  they  intended  to  do.  Full  of  these  ideas,  he 
returned  to  Majorca,  his  native  country,  where  he 
passed  ten  years,  his  mind  in  a state  of  strange 
fluctuation,  desiring  to  do  much,  and  yet  unable  to 
resolve  on  doing  any  thing.  At  last,  by  a dispensa- 
tion of  Providence,  a copy  of  one  of  the  letters  sent 
by  our  apostle  from  the  East  fell  into  the  hands  of 
Nadal,  who  felt  himself  so  powerfully  affected  by  the 
perusal  of  it  that  he  at  once  repaired  to  Home,  and, 
at  the  feet  of  St.  Ignatius,  consecrated  himself  to  the 
Society.  In  due  time  he  was  unanimously  elected 
to  assist  the  holy  founder  in  the  government  of  the 
Order  : he  moreover  gave  an  exposition  of  the  con- 
stitutions written  by  the  saint,  and  practised  by 
himself  with  unremitting  fervor.  After  traversing 
nearly  the  whole  of  Europe  and  part  of  Africa,  he 
25* 


294 


THE  LIFE  OF 


everywhere  left  vestiges  of  his  indefatigable  zeal 
in  behalf  of  souls. 

Five  days  after  the  disembarkation  of  his  new 
colaborators,  Xavier  was  obliged  to  tear  himself 
away  from  them  and  hasten  to  the  coast  of  Fishery, 
where  the  incessant  ravages  of  the  cruel  Badages 
rendered  his  presence  necessary  to  the  comfort  and 
support  of  his  dear  Paravans,  for  whom  he  was 
most  anxious  to  secure  the  permanent  protection 
of  the  Portuguese.  During  his  sojourn  at  the 
Fishery,  by  some  means  or  other,  a report  reached 
Goa  that  he  had  been  massacred  by  the  Badages; 
and,  to  give  *an  appearance  of  truth  to  the  rumor, 
circumstantial  details  of  his  dreadful  sufferings 
were  added,  and  wonders  were  related  of  the  heroic 
courage  with  which  he  endured  them.  It  would 
be  impossible  to  describe  the  universal  excitement 
occasioned  at  Goa  by  this  terrible  report : not  only 
the  Portuguese  and  native  Christians,  even  the  Gen- 
toos  and  Mohammedans,  deplored  him.  Nothing 
was  spoken  of  but  the  virtues  of  the  holy  father, 
his  prophecies  and  miracles,  of  the  unblemished 
spotlessness  of  his  life,  of  his  magnanimity,  self- 
contempt, unbounded  love  of  God,  and  ardent  zeal 
for  the  salvation  of  every  one.  Not  satisfied  with 
these  demonstrations  of  esteem  and  affection,  some 
of  the  Portuguese  entered  into  an  agreement  to  go 
over  to  those  parts  and  recover  the  relics  of  his 
sacred  body  from  the  Badages,  resolving  to  spend, 
if  necessary,  thirty  thousand  ducats  for  the  pur- 
pose : moreover,  they  decided  on  applying  to  his 
majesty  Don  John,  and  request  him  to  use  his  in- 
fluence with  the  holy  see,  with  a view  to  the 
canonization  of  the  saint.  Whilst  this  commotion 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


295 


was  at  its  height,  news  was  brought  to  Goa  that 
the  holy  man  was  still  alive,  and  close  at  hand  : in 
effect,  he  soon  after  made  his  appearance,  when 
the  grief  of  the  city  yielded  to  a display  of  extra- 
ordinary delight ; the  people  seemed  as  if  they 
could  never  satisfy  themselves  with  gazing  on  the 
features  of  their  beloved  father  and  teacher,  for  to 
them  he  was  as  one  newly  risen  from  the  grave. 

The  saint  had  again  the  satisfaction  of  meeting 
his  brethren,  who  had  so  recently  arrived  from 
Europe ; who,  in  truth,  had  not  effected  their 
voyage  without  danger.  When  they  were  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Mozambique,  through  the  inex- 
perience of  the  pilot  the  ship  was  driven  into 
shallow  water  amidst  a labyrinth  of  sand- banks. 
Five  times  did  they  strike,  and  when  at  length 
the  rudder  became  unhinged  the  crew  gave  them- 
selves up  for  lost.  But  when  all  human  aid  seems 
to  fly  from  us,  then  most  frequently  is  heavenly 
succor  close  at  hand.  The  fathers  carried  with 
them  a head  of  one  of  the  eleven  thousand  martyrs, 
(the  virgin  companions  of  St.  Ursula,)  intending 
to  offer  it  as  a precious  gift  to  the  church  of  thi 
Society  at  Goa.  They  all  knelt  down,  when  the 
venerated  head  was  exposed  to  public  view : the 
holy  martyr  at  the  same  time  was  entreated  tc 
protect,  not  only  them,  but  this  treasured  relic  of 
her  own  body,  and  also  to  exert  her  power  foi 
their  rescue.  No  sooner  was  the  prayer  concluded, 
than,  without  any  extraneous  aid,  the  ship  glided 
through  an  aperture  of  the  rock,  which  being  too 
narrow  to  admit  the  vast  bulk  of  the  vessel,  the 
side  of  the  rock  actually  yielded  and  bent  inward, 
thus  allowing  free  passage  to  the  imprisoned  crew 


296 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Their  next  object  was  to  repair  the  rudder,  but, 
unfortunately,  they  had  no  materials  for  the  pur- 
pose; whereupon  they  again  had  recourse  to  the 
saint  as  before;  and  immediately  the  rudder  was 
found  properly  adjusted,  and  the  ship  reached  Goa 
without  further  accident.  Xavier  considered  these 
fathers  as  being  given  him  in  a particular  manner 
by  Almighty  God  : and  we  may  judge  of  their 
fervor  of  spirit,  and  of  the  delight  which  they  felt 
as  they  received  his  welcome  embrace,  from  the 
following  extract  copied  from  one  of  their  letters, 
written  by  Father  Paul  Yalle  to  his  brethren  in 
Portugal : — 

“ At  the  moment  we  were  first  accosted  by 
Father  Francis,  I could  not  prevent  myself  from 
exclaiming,  ‘ Truly , truly,  truly , this  is  a servant  of 
God , and  nowhere  else  shall  we  find  his  equal.  Oh, 
how  great  and  varied  are  the  feelings  awakened 
by  the  mere  sight  of  him ! and  much  more  as  one 
hears  him  speak!  In  every  one  does  he  enkindle 
the  desire  of  serving  God.’  ” He  then  goes  on  to 
say  that  the  five  days  they  spent  together  at  Goa 
seemed  but  like  a moment,  through  excess  of  joy. 

In  compliance  with  the  advice  of  Father  Simon 
Rodriguez,  he  appointed  Father  Anthony  Gomez 
rector  of  the  college  at  Goa.  He  was  a man  far 
better  calculated  for  missionary  duties  than  for 
any  post  of  government,  as  the  sequel  but  too  well 
showed.  He  then  made  some  other  arrangements, 
according  to  the  will  of  St.  Ignatius,  and  sailed  to 
Cochin,  where  the  vicar,  Peter  Gonzales,  had  been 
long  wishing  that  his  people  might  have  the  bene- 
fit of  the  saint’s  instructions  and  example.  He 
remained  here  two  months,  preaching,  teaching 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


297 


children,  serving  the  sick,  and  gathering,  as  usual, 
the  fruit  arising  from  his  apostolic  labors.  Sin- 
ners were  converted,  public  scandals  removed, 
great  increase  of  virtue  in  innumerable  souls,  and 
pagans  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true  faith. 
God  was  also  pleased  to  illustrate  his  merit  with 
several  miracles,  of  which  the  following  is  one  of 
the  most  remarkable.  A little  boy,  four  years  of 
age,  had  been  suffering  from  continual  fever  foi 
more  than  four  months;  he  was  withered  and 
parched  up,  so  as  to  be  reduced  to  a mere  skeleton. 
The  physicians  had  exhausted  their  skill  upon  him 
to  no  purpose,  and  had  quite  given  up  the  case  as 
hopeless.  His  parents  were  in  deep  grief,  and,  as 
there  was  no  longer  any  chance  of  saving  him, 
they  almost  wished  that  death  would  come  and 
put  an  end  to  his  prolonged  sufferings.  Whilst 
matters  were  in  this  state,  Father  Francis,  by 
some  chance  or  other,  called  at  their  house,  and 
they  immediately  led  him  to  their  sick  child, 
thinking  the  mere  sight  of  his  deplorable  condi- 
tion would  excite  the  saint’s  compassion  more 
effectually  than  all  their  entreaties.  And  such, 
indeed,  proved  the  case  : he  needed  no  solicitations 
to  cure  the  little  patient.  He  blessed  him,  and,  as 
usual,  recited  a gospel  over  him,  though  at  the 
moment  the  child  seemed  to  be  at  the  last  gasp. 
Xavier  had  scarcely  finished,  ere  the  little  one 
opened  his  eyes,  smiled,  and  began  to  prattle  with 
great  glee.  His  astonished  father  guessed  that  he 
was  cured,  and  eagerly  applied  his  hand  to  the 
child’s  chest  and  forehead,  which  when  Xavier 
entered  the  room  were  intolerably  hot,  but  now  he 
found  them  cool  and  fresh,  as  of  one  in  health. 


298 


THE  LIFE  OP 


The  child,  in  fact,  was  cured,  and  immediately 
arose  from  the  bed  where  he  had  so  long  lain  in 
pain. 

A still  greater  blessing  was  the  restoration  to 
health  of  the  sick  soul  of  a very  dissolute  man, 
who,  at  the  very  moment  Xavier  happened  to 
meet  with  him,  was  going  to  complete  bis  wicked 
purpose  at  the  back  of  St.  Anthony’s  church.  On 
perceiving  the  saint,  with  whom  he  was  well  ac- 
quainted, he  advanced  to  meet  him,  and  took  his 
hand  to  kiss.  Xavier  accosted  him  civilly,  but 
asked  him  gravely  how  he  was.  The  man  an- 
swered that,  thanks  to  the  goodness  of  God,  he 
was  in  excellent  health.  “ Of  body,  yes,”  rejoined 
the  father,  “ and  that  is  all  you  care  for;  but,  as 
for  your  soul,  how  is  it  ?”  and  then  proceeded  to 
unfold  to  him  the  wicked  projects  nestled  in  his 
heart, — projects  known  only  to  himself  and  God, 
and  which  the  saint  could  only  have  discovered  by 
preternatural  means.  Confounded  and  surprised, 
he  frankly  owned  what  it  would  have  been  absurd 
to  deny:  he  at  once  placed  himself  under  the 
guidance  of  the  holy  man,  renounced  his  wicked 
ways,  and  carefully  shunned  occasions  of  danger. 

Having  thus  benefited  the  people  of  Cochin, 
and  consoled  his  friend  the  vicar,  who  afterward 
related  great  things  of  him,  and  of  the  exalted 
sanctity  which  he  discovered  in  him  during  the 
two  months  he  was  his  guest,  he  sailed  to  Bazaim, 
where  he  procured  an  order  from  the  Governor  of 
India  to  the  commandant  of  Malacca,  desiring  him 
to  forward  the  holy  man,  passage  free,  to  Japan. 
Being  so  far  satisfied,  Xavier  returned  to  Goa  and 
despatched  his  companions  to  the  various  missions 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


2% 


assigned  them.  To  each  of  his  priests  he  gave  a 
companion  to  assist  them  in  their  labors  and  to  be 
the  witness  of  their  conduct.  St.  Ignatius  expressly 
sent  him  an  order  to  this  effect ; and,  although  they 
were  so  few  in  number  in  the  Indies  as  to  render 
the  arrangement  difficult,  the  holy  founder  was 
peremptory,  and  would  not  allow  the  members  of 
the  Society  to  live  otherwise  than  two  together  in 
the  same  place. 

Having  made  such  arrangements  as  he  deemed 
useful  to  the  public  good  and  to  more  private 
interests  of  his  religious  brethren,  he  began  to 
prepare  for  his  voyage  from  India  to  Japan, — a 
project  which  had  occupied  his  mind  for  upward 
of  a year.  It  will  be  well  to  state  the  circum- 
stances which  gave  rise  to  this  apostolic  enterprise; 
for  the  progress  of  Christianity  in  Japan  was 
attended  with  incidents  more  remarkable  than 
the  Church  had  witnessed  for  many  preceding 
centuries. 

A young  Japanese,  named  Angier,  a native  of 
Cangoxima,  a chief  city  of  the  kingdom  of  Saxuma : 
of  noble  lineage  and  well  educated;  of  keen  intel- 
lect; of  course  a pagan,  whose  morals  corresponded 
with  his  creed ; and,  though  by  no  means  what  his 
compatriots  would  call  a vicious  man,  some  way  or 
other  he  could  not  find  peace  of  conscience.  He 
firmly  believed  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and 
that  there  was  a hell  to  punish  sin,  the  torments 
of  which  were  dreadful.  The  bonzes  (as  the  theo- 
logians of  Japan  are  called)  were  unable  to  satisfy 
his  perplexities  or  remove  his  fears,  though  they 
used  all  their  best  arguments  for  the  purpose : 
hence  he  frequently  sought  the  conversation  of  the 


300 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Portuguese,  who  had  been  in  the  habit  of  trading 
with  the  country  since  the  year  1542.  But,  as  they 
were  for  the  most  part  better  versed  in  mercantile 
than  in  spiritual  lore,  they  advised  him  to  pass  over 
to  Malacca,  where  he  would  find  a certain  Father 
Francis  Xavier,  (of  whom  they  related  what  they 
knew  with  regard  to  his  holy  life  and  miracles,) 
and  who,  they  assured  him,  would  no  sooner  have 
heard  his  case  than  he  would  completely  satisfy 
his  mind  and  restore  it  to  peace.  The  young 
nobleman  was  married,  and,  much  as  he  desired 
the  solution  of  his  doubts,  he  scarcely  deemed  the 
case  of  sufficient  importance  to  justify  his  under- 
taking a journey  of  two  thousand  five  hundred 
miles,  through  a dangerous  and  almost  imprac- 
ticable sea,  certainty  at  the  hazard  of  his  life. 
Whilst  he  was  in  this  state  of  perplexity,  leaning 
rather  more  to  no  than  yes,  a sudden  accident  com- 
pelled him  to  do  for  the  safety  of  his  body  that 
which  he  hesitated  to  do  for  the  salvation  of  his 
soul.  By  some  means  or  other  he  unfortunately 
slew  his  enemy,  when,  to  escape  the  officers  of  jus- 
tice, he  sought  refuge  in  a monastery  of  bonzes. 
Alvarez  Yaz,  a Portuguese,  became  acquainted 
with  the  fact : he  was  a friend  of  Angier,  and, 
having  his  ship  ready  in  the  harbor,  he  went  and 
offered  to  convey  him  secretly  to  Malacca,  where 
he  could  remain  till  his  enemies’  and  public  indig- 
nation were  appeased,  and  then  return  to  Japan, 
either  with  him,  or  on  board  some  other  merchant- 
man. Angier  was  doubly  grateful  for  an  offer 
which  would  not  only  place  his  life  in  safety,  but 
would  also  lead  to  his  acquaintance  with  Father 
Francis.  Yaz,  however,  found  himself  unable  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  301 

sail  quite  as  soon  as  he  expected:  he  therefore 
gave  him  letters  to  Don  Fernando,  who,  with  his 
ship,  was  in  another  port  at  no  great  distance. 
Angier,  accompanied  by  two  servants,  set  out 
privately  in  the  night;  and  by  a special  dispensa- 
tion of  Providence,  when  he  reached  the  appointed 
place,  he  fell  in,  not  with  Fernando,  whom  he 
sought,  but  with  George  Alvarez,  the  captain  of  a 
ship  actually  weighing  anchor  for  Malacca.  He 
was  a man  of  great  worth,  the  intimate  friend  of 
St.  Francis  Xavier.  On  learning  the  object  of  the 
young  Japanese,  Alvarez  was  transported  with 
delight,  well  knowing  that  he  could  not  afford  a 
greater  pleasure  to  the  holy  man  than  the  novelty 
of  a Japanese  willing  to  consecrate  himself  to  God 
With  most  ready  courtesy  he  received  him  and  his 
two  servants  on  board  his  ship,  and  an  instant  after- 
ward sailed  toward  Malacca.  As  we  have  already 
remarked,  the  voyage  was  long,  so  that  the  good 
captain  had  frequent  opportunities  of  entering  into 
religious  discussion  with  Angier;  and,  as  the  latter 
was  a shrewd,  sensible  man,  he  soon  contrasted  the 
light  of  evangelical  truth  with  the  hideous  darkness 
of  his  own  creed:  the  purity  and  sanctity  taught  by 
the  former  struck  forcibly  on  his  heart:  neverthe- 
less, he  suspended  his  decision  until  he  should  have 
heard  what  more  Father  Francis  might  have  to  ad- 
duce. The  captain  related  such  great  and  marvel- 
lous things  of  him,  that  to  Angier’s  anxious  wish  of 
being  acquainted  with  him  every  day  seemed  like  a 
century.  In  proportion  as  the  anticipated  pleasure 
of  the  meeting  had  been  great,  so  was  his  disappoint- 
ment great  when,  on  reaching  Malacca,  he  found  the 
holy  man  absent:  he  had  sailed  some  time  before  to 
26 


302 


7 HE  LIFE  OP 


the  Moluccas.  As  the  term  of  his  absence  seemed  un- 
certain, Angier  determined  to  remain  where  he  was 
lor  some  little  time,  in  hopes  of  the  saint’s  return. 
Having  decided  on  embracing  Christianity,  he  de- 
manded baptism  of  the  vicar  Alphonsus  Martinez, 
who,  not  being  too  well  instructed  himself,  posi- 
tively refused  it,  telling  him  that  he  could  not  be 
a Christian  and  yet  live  with  a pagan  wife  in  an 
idolatrous  country.  But  God  made  use  of  the  poor 
vicar’s  ignorance  for  the  furtherance  of  his  own 
high  purposes.  He  reserved  this  pagan  for  Xavier, 
that  through  him  the  empire  of  Japan  might  be 
gained  to  Jesus  Christ, — which  would  not  have 
been  the  case  had  Martinez  baptized  him. 

Angier,  having  thus  lost  all  his  hopes,  gave  up 
the  idea  of  becoming  a Christian,  and  accordingly  set 
out  on  his  return  to  Cangoxima.  When  they  were 
within  about  twenty  leagues  of  land,  Almighty  God 
raised  a strong  wind,  which,  setting  in  directly 
from  the  shore,  drove  back  their  vessel  far  out  to 
sea;  and  then  a violent  storm  arose,  which,  con- 
tinuing unabated  for  four  days  and  four  nights, 
carried  them  away  at  the  mercy  of  wind  and  wave. 
But  God  watched  over  them  in  his  own  way,  and 
guided  the  ship  a distance  of  six  hundred  miles, 
till  finally  she  reached  Chingshoo,  where  the 
travellers  would  find  means  of  passing  over  to 
Japan. 

His  recent  danger  brought  the  young  man  to  a 
better  state  of  mind  again:  his  former  ideas  re- 
vived, and,  perplexed  and  uneasy  as  he  was,  he 
went  out  for  a stroll  on  the  beach,  where  he  for- 
tunately met  Alvarez  Yaz,  the  same  friend  who 
some  time  before  had  sent  him  with  letters  to  For- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


303 


nuncio,  with  a view  to  his  escape  from  Japan 
Yaz  was  now  on  the  point  of  sailing  for  Malacca, 
and,  on  hearing  the  unfortunate  result  of  Angier’s 
recent  expedition,  he  warmly  pressed  him  to  return 
with  him,  encouraging  him  with  the  hope  of  find- 
ing Father  Francis  at  Malacca,  who  would  possibly 
accompany  the  young  man  on  his  return  to  his 
native  country.  The  prospect  of  such  a result  was 
more  than  enough  to  determine  Angier,  who  ac- 
cepted the  proposal  and  at  once  sailed  with  Yaz. 
Xavier  too  in  the  mean  time  returned  to  Malacca 
from  the  Moluccas. 

Angier  received  this  intelligence  on  landing,  to 
his  inconceivable  delight.  His  heart  warned  him 
that  all  his  recent  misfortunes  had  been  directed 
by  an  all-wise  Providence  to  his  greater  good. 
Needing  no  further  means  of  introduction  to  the 
saint,  he  set  off  in  search  of  him,  when  (as  if  by  a 
preconcerted  arrangement  on  the  part  of  God)  he 
actually  met  George  Alvarez,  who  had  brought  him 
the  first  time  from  Japan  to  Malacca.  Cordial  and 
mutual  was  the  greeting  embrace, — Alvarez  eagerly 
conducting  him  to  Xavier,  who  happened  to  be  in 
the  church  of  our  Lady.  He  rapidly  gave  him  a 
brief  account  of  the  young  Japanese,  and  of  the 
motive  which  had  brought  him  such  a distance 
from  his  home. 

It  would  be  utterly  impossible  to  describe  the 
consolation  produced  in  the  soul  of  Xavier  by  this 
intelligence;  and,  as  if  the  mission  of  the  whole 
country  had  been  then  confided  to  him,  he  rushed 
with  open  arms  to  Angier,  and,  as  he  pressed  him 
to  his  breast,  his  heart  opened  to  the  kingdom  of 


304 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Japan,  whither  he  hoped,  at  no  very  distant  date 
to  go  and  announce  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Angier,  in  one  of  his  letters  to  St.  Ignatius,  de- 
scribes the  effects  produced  on  him  by  the  first 
affectionate  embrace  of  Xavier,  and  says  that  the 
consolation  he  then  experienced  must  have  been 
something  preternatural. 

To  their  mutual  satisfaction,  the  two  had  daily 
intercourse  upon  the  subjects  most  interesting  to 
both ; and  this  was  accomplished  without  difficulty, 
as  the  Japanese  had  some  slight  knowledge  of 
Portuguese.  They  remained  at  Malacca  till  after 
the  defeat  of  the  Acheens,  as  already  related,  when 
they  started  for  Goa,  and  arrived  there  at  the  be- 
ginning of  March,  1548.  Angier  was  lodged  at  the 
Seminary,  and  placed  by  Xavier  in  the  hands  of 
Father  Cosmo  Torres,  to  be  by  him  fully  instructed 
in  the  faith  ; and  on  Pentecost  Sunday  he  was  bap- 
tized with  the  greatest  splendor  and  solemnity  by 
the  archbishop  himself,  to  the  inexpressible  delight 
of  Xavier,  who,  in  this  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
beheld  the  extension  of  the  Church’s  empire  even 
to  the  confines  of  the  earth,  whereby  a new  tongue, 
hitherto  strange  to  Christianity,  would  be  added 
to  the  many  ancient  ones  which  on  a similar  day 
(but  more  than  fifteen  centuries  before)  had  first 
found  expression  in  the  Cenacle  of  Judea. 

At  the  sacred  font,  Angier  received  the  name  of 
Paul  of  the  holy  faith : Cosmo  Annes  would  have  it 
so,  as  a mark  of  honor  to  the  seminary  so  called. 
The  two  servants,  baptized  at  the  same  time,  were 
respectively  named  Anthony  and  John.  Conver- 
sion, however,  was  not  all  that  attended  these  first- 
fruits  of  the  church  of  Japan ; their  virtue  soon 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  305 

reached  such  a height,  that  Xavier  himself  men- 
tioned it  it  his  letters  to  his  European  friends  as 
something  quke  remarkable,  adding  that  it  was 
quite  a stimulus  to  his  own  fervor.  They  devoted 
thirty  whole  days  to  the  spiritual  exercises,  during 
which  Almighty  God  was  pleased  to  infuse  into 
their  minds  such  clear  illustrations  of  the  eternal 
truths  as  are  seldom  experienced  even  by  men  far 
advanced  in  the  ways  of  virtue.  These  impres- 
sions, stamped  in  their  hearts  by  the  hand  of  God, 
produced  effects  of  no  transient  nature  : for  a long 
time  they  could  speak  of  nothing  but  of  Him.  In 
their  meditations,  on  the  sacred  passion  especially, 
they  were  deeply  affected  by  the  many  proofs 
given  of  divine  liberality,  with  which  they  were 
most  anxious  to  correspond,  and  in  gratitude  for 
which  they  would  willingly,  if  necessary,  have 
shed  their  blood. 

Their  faith  and  their  zeal  for  the  salvation  of 
souls  found  vent  in  certain  impetuous  and  affecting 
expressions : this  was  the  case  especially  with 
Paul,  who  was  often  heard  to  exclaim,  “O  ye 
Japanese ! O my  people ! open  your  eyes  upon  your- 
selves, and  discover  your  own  blindness/'  And 
when  Xavier  asked  him  what  he  meant  by  these 
words,  he  told  him  that  in  .Japan  there  were  many 
who  adored  the  sun  and  moon  as  gods,  instead  of 
looking  on  them  as  they  were,  a part  only  of  the 
works  of  nature’s  God,  and  given  us  to  divide  the 
light  of  day  and  night;  teaching  us  by  their  ex- 
ample that  as  they  serve  us,  so  should  we  serve  Him 
who  lends  them  to  be  our  ministers:  “instead  of 
viewing  them  thus,"  said  Angier,  “they  blindly 
transform  them  into  deities.”  He  then  went  on  to 
l)  2G* 


BOG 


THE  LIFE  OF 


say  that  the  truths  of  the  Christian  religion  are  so 
clearly  proved,  and  so  conformable  to  the  dictates  of 
reason,  that  no  one  having  a moderate  share  of  good 
sense  3oald  hear  them  without  believing  them. 
That,  as  means  for  increasing  in  and  reaching  a 
high  degree  of  virtue,  nothing  could  be  conceived 
better  calculated  than  the  divine  helps  of  confes- 
sion and  communion;  for  as  the  one  frees  the  soul 
from  every  evil,  so  does  the  other  confer  on  it  every 
good,  since  it  gives  us  God  Himself.  Such  were 
the  sentiments  and  expressions  of  the  fervent 
young  neophyte.  Father  di  Torres  expounded  the 
Gospel  of  St.  Matthew  to  him,  which  so  delighted 
him  that  he  committed  the  whole  of  it  to  memory; 
and  whenever  he  found  himself  in  any  large  assem- 
bly of  persons,  whether  Christians  or  pagans,  he 
always  proposed  questions  upon  it,  either  to  draw 
information  from  the  former,  or  to  convict  of  error, 
if  the  latter. 

In  this  manner  did  Paul  of  the  holy  faith  ad- 
vance in  the  ways  of  God.  He  had  left  Japan  for 
India,  merely  with  the  hope  of  meeting  with  a man 
renowned  for  sanctity  of  life, called  Francis  Xavier, 
that  through  his  means  he  might  find  peace  of 
conscience  and  strength  of  soul.  God,  however, 
had  higher  views,  and  brought  him  to  the  saint  to 
oe  the  counsellor  of  his  plans,  the  guide  and  com- 
panion of  his  voyage,  his  friend  and  fellow-laborer 
.-n  beginning  the  foundation  of  a new  church  in 
Japan. 

The  saint  noticed  to  George  Alvarez,  in  terms  of 
high  commendation,  the  excellent  mental  endow- 
ments of  these  three.  Alvarez  told  him  that  what 
seemed  peculiar  to  them  was  nevertheless  common 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  307 

to  the  natives  of  Japan,  who,  as  far  as  he  had  been 
able  to  notice,  were  remarkable  for  intellectual 
acuteness.  Paul  of  the  holy  faith  confirmed  the 
report  of  Alvarez,  and  said  that  if  the  conduct  of 
the  ministers  of  the  gospel  should  be  found  to  cor- 
respond with  the  doctrines  they  taught,  their 
conversion  might  be  looked  upon  as  certain,  though 
they  would  not  yield  otherwise  than  to  conviction, 
and  would  require  time  for  due  deliberation.  He 
mentioned  several  other  things  to  Xavier,  which 
raised  his  hopes  and  gave  him  great  consolation. 
Among  other  things,  that  there  were  at  Can 
goxima  (as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  Japan)  a great 
number  of  monasteries  of  religious  men  called 
bonzes,  several  of  whom  lived  wholly  secluded 
from  the  public  and  given  to  contemplation.  That 
there  was  one  very  much  respected,  both  for  his 
worth  and  learning,  who  was  looked  upon  as  the 
master  of  the  rest. 

At  stated  times  he  summoned  his  disciples  and 
gave  them  a sermon  ) after  which  he  proposed  the 
subject  of  an  hour’s  meditation,  in  something  like 
the  following  style: — “ Suppose  a man  was  at  the 
point  of  death,  and  could  by  some  means  rally  and 
begin  to  speak:  what  would  the  soul  say  to  the 
body,  at  that  moment  of  irrevocable  separation  ? 
or  suppose  a condemned  soul  could  for  a few 
seconds  castotf  its  chains  and  appear  again  among 
us:  what  would  it  say  to  us  ? What  details  would 
it  give  of  those  fiery  regions  ?” 

After  giving  the  subject  to  be  meditated  on,  each 
one  remained  in  recollection  for  the  space  of  an 
hour,  when  they  all  again  assembled,  and  the  mas- 
ter called  upon  each  one,  separately,  to  give  an 


THE  LIFE  OF 


S08 

account  of  his  contemplation  : those  who  produced 
any  remarkable  or  striking  ideas  were  commended 
as  wise  and  spiritual ; whilst  those  who  had  no- 
thing particular  to  say  were  reproved,  as  being 
slothful  or  material.  Angier  further  told  him  that 
these  bonzes  were  accustomed  to  go  out  once  a 
fortnight  into  the  public  streets  to  preach.  They 
made  their  appearance  in  tattered  old  garments ; 
and  with  scowling  brow,  and  frightful  gestures, 
they  summoned  the  people  to  go  and  listen  to 
them,  wdiereupon  men,  women,  and  children  flocked 
round  them  in  crowds.  The  preacher  entered  the 
pulpit,  having  at  his  side  a board,  on  which  hell 
was  depicted,  with  its  various  modes  of  torture, 
chains,  fire,  rods,  hooks,  and  other  horrid  instru- 
ments. This  was  commented  upon  in  the  most 
forcible  and  terrifying  terms,  till  the  auditors, 
especially  the  females,  were  worked  up  to  a state 
little  short  of  frenzy. 

All  this  information  was  highly  gratifying  to 
Xavier,  as  showing  dispositions  well  suited  to 
accept  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel;  and  as  there 
was  now  a good  supply  of  fathers  of  the  Society 
in  India,  with  additional  recruits  annually  coming 
over  from  Europe,  his  whole  heart  turned  toward 
Japan.  However,  as  the  will  of  God  (not  his 
own  opinions)  was  always  the  moving  principle 
Df  his  conduct,  he  would  form  no  precipitate  pur- 
pose until  he  had  used  all  due  means  to  ascertain 
the  divine  will.  He  prayed  most  fervently  to  the 
guardian  angels  of  India  and  Japan,  begging  them 
to  enlighten  him  and  make  known  to  him  what  it 
was  that  our  Lord  required  of  him  in  this  case. 
Nor  was  this  done  once  or  twice  only : he  perse 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  309 

vered  in  this  devotion  for  several  months,  shedding 
floods  of  tears  before  God,  until  he  was  at  length 
favored  with  the  most  intimate  conviction  that 
Almighty  God  required  his  services  in  those  dis- 
tant regions.  When  once  he  was  thus  convinced, 
all  the  combined  opposition  of  men  and  devils 
could  not  have  shaken  his  purpose.  His  friends 
and  acquaintance  used  every  argument  to  dissuade 
him  from  the  voyage.  They  could  not  bear  the 
thought  of  losing  one  so  dear  and  precious  to 
them;  still  less  willing  were  they  to  risk  the  loss 
of  him  to  India,  with  but  an  uncertain  prospect 
of  benefit  to  Japan. 

The  journey  was  of  four  thousand  miles  through 
a most  tempestuous  and  treacherous  sea,  abounding 
in  hidden  rocks,  shoals,  storms,  whirlwinds,  con- 
trary currents;  to  which  may  be  added  pirates 
and  marauders  without  number,  who  lie  in  ambush 
to  intercept  the  merchantmen;  and,  not  content 
with  despoiling  them,  they  mutilate  and  slaughter 
them  in  the  most  savage  way.  Then,  again,  what 
had  he,  a foreigner,  unacquainted  even  with  their 
language,  to  expect  from  a set  of  barbarians? 
Who  would  receive,  support,  and  protect  him  ? 
Common  sense  and  common  prudence  were  alike 
opposed  to  such  an  undertaking,  &c.  These  and 
many  more  reasons  were  advanced  by  the  friends 
and  penitents  of  our  saint;  but  their  words  were 
thrown  to  the  winds.  When  God  called,  the  most 
persuasive  arguments,  the  most  appalling  dangers, 
all  the  obstacles  of  earth  and  hell,  would  be  in- 
sufficient to  arrest  his  course.  He  opposed  argu- 
ment to  argument.  “What!”  said  he,  “shall  the 
interested  cupidity  of  the  children  of  this  world 


310 


THE  LIFE  OF 


render  them  more  courageous  in  the  pursuit  of 
wealth  than  the  love  of  God  in  his  followers? 
Shall  avarice  boast  of  having  travelled  farther 
after  contemptible  earthly  merchandise,  than 
zeal  and  Christian  charity  in  order  to  carry  the 
grace  and  fruits  of  eternal  redemption?  And 
have  not  Portuguese  vessels  already  ventured  as 
far  as  Japan  for  purposes  of  commerce?  Look 
at  George  Alvarez,  returned  to  Goa  in  safety,  and 
laden  with  riches.  Look  at  Alvarez  Yaz,  who,  as 
we  may  say,  arrived  but  yesterday.  And  yet  the 
whirlwinds,  the  pirates,  the  rocks,  and  the  storms, 
have  not  wrecked,  or  robbed,  or  drowned  them  ! 
Have  merchants  any  safer  passport  against  all 
these  dangers  than  the  priests  of  God  ? Have 
those  who  sail  in  pursuit  of  riches  some  guarantee 
which  is  withheld  from  those  who  traverse  the 
same  space  only  to  proclaim  the  law  of  God  and 
to  extend  his  empire?” 

Still  better  will  it  be  to  hear  his  heart  speaking 
through  his  pen  on  this  important  topic.  All  the 
letters  which  he  wrote  at  this  time  to  his  friends 
in  Europe  breathe  a generosity  of  soul  worthy  of 
an  apostle : so  far  from  being  dismayed  by  the 
perils  of  the  voyage,  they  rather  seem  to  quicken 
his  anxiety  to  enter  upon  it : he  wrote  as  follows 
to  St.  Ignatius : — “I  am  almost  ready  for  myjourney 
to  Japan,  when  I shall  have  to  traverse  nearly 
one  thousand  three  hundred  leagues  of  water.  I 
should  never  end,  if  I attempted  to  describe  the 
interior  consolation  which  the  anticipation  of  this 
voyage  affords  me;  for  it  is  full  of  dangers  of  every 
description, — terrific  tempests,  rocks,  whirlwinds 
robbers,  &c. : hence,  of  four  ships  which  sail  thither, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


311 


if  two  arrive  in  safety,  it  may  be  considered  some- 
thing wonderful.  But  as  for  me,  there  is  that  in 
my  heart  which  would  drive  me  to  Japan  even  if 
the  dangers  were  infinitely  greater  than  any  1 
have  hiiherto  encountered, — so  firm  is  my  hope  in 
God  that  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  will  be  planted 
there  and  produce  great  fruit.” 

In  another  letter  to  Father  Simon  Bodriguez, 
he  says,  “ The  ships  from  Malacca  have  arrived 
here,  bringing  positive  intelligence  that  all  the 
Chinese  ports  are  in  arms  against  the  Portuguese ; 
but  this  will  not  deter  me  from  pursuing  my  voy- 
age to  Japan,  for  in  this  life  of  trials  I nowhere 
enjoy  so  much  peace  as  when  I am  in  the  midst  of 
danger,  exposed  to  death  for  the  love  and  service 
of  my  God  and  for  the  propagation  of  his  holy 
law.  And,  in  real  truth,  one  enjoys  more  delight 
and  consolation  amidst  such  dangers  than  at  a 
distance  from  them.  All  my  pious  friends  over- 
whelm me  with  their  alarming  recitals,  in  hopes 
of  deterring  me  from  my  purpose, — at  which  I 
can  only  express  my  surprise  that  they  should 
have  so  little  faith;  for,  after  all,  does  not  God 
impel  the  waves  and  rule  the  storm  ? They  tell 
me  the  tempests  toward  the  coasts  of  China  and 
Japan  are  more  terrific  than  in  any  other  part  of 
the  world:  nevertheless,  He  has  dominion  over  the 
winds,  and  He  is  master  of  the  rocks,  which,  ac- 
cording to  report,  are  innumerable  out  there,  and 
upon  which  ships  daily  strike  and  are  wrecked. 
He  commands  the  pirates  that  infest  the  seas 
through  which  I have  to  pass, — pirates  without 
number,  whose  cruelties,  especially  toward  the 
Portuguese,  are  inconceivably  revolting.  Since, 


312 


THE  LIFE  OF 


then,  Almighty  God  commands  and  overrules  all 
I have  only  him  to  fear;  and  him  I do  fear,  seeing 
that  I am  so  negligent  in  serving  him,  so  useless, 
so  slothful  in  carrying  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ 
to  idolaters  who  know  him  not.  Well  may  I fear 
lest  he  should  punish  me ! Beyond  this  fear,  the 
dangers  and  sufferings  detailed  by  my  friends  seem 
less  than  nothing;  because  all  that  creatures  can 
do  is  just  no  more  than  their  Creator  wills.  Their 
power  is  precisely  what  he  gives  them,  and  no 
more.” 

Paul  of  the  holy  faith  told  him  that  the  bonzes 
would  be  very  much  scandalized  if  they  saw  the 
Christian  religious  partake  of  flesh  or  fish,  which 
they  affect  (as  bonzes)  never  to  touch : Xavier, 
therefore,  determined  on  abstaining  totally  from 
every  thing  of  the  sort;  and  this  cost  him  but 
little,  for  throughout  the  year  he  seldom  tasted  any 
thing  but  the  food  of  the  poorest  classes, — a little 
rice,  to  which  by  way  of  luxury  he  sometimes 
added  a few  herbs. 

The  vessel  being  ready  which  was  to  convey 
him  to  Malacca,  from  whence  he  was  to  sail  to 
Japan,  he  chose  for  the  companions  of  his  enter- 
prise Fathers  Cosmo  Torres  and  John  Fernandez. 
After  a most  affectionate  farewell  embrace  amidst 
the  tears  and  sobs  of  his  friends,  the  three  fathers, 
and  the  Japanese,  Paul  of  the  holy  faith  and  An- 
thony and  John,  his  servants,  entered  the  brigan- 
tine destined  for  Cochin.  He  was  accompanied  as 
far  as  Malacca  by  Father  Alphonsus  Castro  and 
two  others,  whom  he  intended  to  send  to  the  Mo- 
luccas. 

During  the  few  days  they  remained  at  Cochin 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XaVIER.  313 

they  were  far  from  idle.  They  devoted  themselves 
to  public  works  of  charity,  especially  Castro, 
whose  fame  as  a preacher  rose  so  high  that  the 
Cochinese  entreated  the  saint  to  leave  him  there 
to  found  a college  of  the  Society;  but  Xavier  was 
unwilling  to  deprive  so  remote  and  abandoned  a 
mission  as  the  Moluccas  of  such  a fervent  work- 
man, particularly  as  Cochin,  being  more  central, 
could  easily  procure  missionaries.  In  this  decision 
Xavier  was  only  seconding  the  counsels  of  the  Al- 
mighty, who  had  prepared  the  crown  of  martyr- 
dom for  Castro,  in  recompense  of  his  toils  among 
the  savages  of  the  Moluccas. 

They  started  again  from  Cochin  on  the  25th  of 
April,  and  arrived  at  Malacca  on  the  31st  of  May, 
without  encountering  the  Acheen  corsairs,  as  was 
predicted,  and  without  a storm,  as  some  authors 
by  mistake  of  date  have  affirmed.  Indescribable 
was  the  delight  of  the  city  at  the  return  of  their 
holy  father:  men,  women,  and  children  hastened 
to  the  beach  to  welcome  him,  singing  pious  can- 
ticles as  usual,  and  testifying  as  much  reverence 
as  affection. 

But  to  no  one  did  he  bring  more  opportune  aid 
and  consolation  than  to  Alphonsus  Martinez,  the 
vicar  of  Malacca,  then  lying  dangerously  ill  with- 
out the  slightest  chance  of  recovery.  He  was 
aged;  and  his  soul  was  even  in  a worse  condition 
than  his  body;  for,  when  admonished  to  dispose 
his  soul  for  death,  and  that  all  hope  of  saving  his 
life  was  at  an  end,  he  was  so  terrified  at  the  ac- 
count God  would  exact  of  him  for  the  thirty  years 
of  vicarship,  during  which  his  conduct  had  been 
sadly  opposed  to  his  profession,  that  his  heart 
27 


314 


THE  LIFE  OF 


sunk  within  him,  and  he  fell  into  a profound  me 
lancholy,  refusing  to  speak  a word  to  any  one. 
Hereupon  the  devil  assailed  him  in  his  weakest 
point,  filling  his  soul  with  diffidence  in  God,  and 
at  length  driving  him  to  absolute  despair.  His 
frenzy  was  appalling;  and,  as  his  sins  recurred  to 
mind,  instead  of  appealing  to  the  mercy  of  God 
and  imploring  his  pardon,  he  grew  more  desperate 
than  ever,  driving  away  those  who  attempted  to 
console  him  by  suggesting  thoughts  of  divine  cle- 
mency. On  these  occasions  he  would  fearfully 
exclaim,  “ Where  is  the  use  of  whispering  hope 
to  a lost  soul  ? He  who  is  already  in  hell  is  beyond 
redemption  ! There  is  no  longer  remission  for 
his  sins:  where  then  is  the  use  of  his  asking  for- 
giveness ?”  adding  much  more  of  the  same  awful 
nature,  to  the  great  scandal  and  dismay  of  the  citi- 
zens. Just  at  this  juncture  Xavier  arrived;  and, 
as  he  was  ever  most  deferential  toward  his  eccle- 
siastical superiors,  whatever  might  be  their  con- 
duct, to  the  vicar  of  Malacca  he  was  particularly 
attentive,  not  only  on  account  of  his  rank,  but 
because  he  hoped  to  win  back  his  soul  to  God. 
The  poor  man  was  therefore  informed  that  Father 
Francis  was  just  landed;  that  he  was  most  anx- 
ious to  see  him,  having  called  expressly  for  the 
purpose ; to  which  was  added  the  remark  that  he 
might  safely  trust  his  soul  to  the  hands  of  so  holy 
a man.  At  these  words  the  miserable  sufferer 
roused  himself,  called  for  his  clothes,  and  declared 
he  would  go  and  meet  the  saint.  In  vain  did  his 
attendants  tell  him  that  he  was  unequal  to  such 
an  effort, — that  he  was  unable  to  stand, — and 
that  even  if  they  attempted  to  carry  him,  he 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  315 

would  expire  in  their  arms.  He  persisted,  and  no 
sooner  tried  to  rise  than  he  fell  back  in  a swoon. 
Xavier  was  hastily  summoned  to  the  bedside  of 
the  apparently  dying  man,  who  no  sooner  beheld 
him  than  he  hoped  to  be  miraculously  restored  to 
health,  for  which  he  was  evidently  more  anxious 
than  for  the  salvation  of  his  soul;  and,  when  the 
saint  warned  him  to  prepare  to  die  like  a Chris- 
tian, the  vicar’s  despair  became  as  deep  as  ever, 
— furnishing  another  proof  of  Xavier’s  oft-repeated 
remark,  that  “ they  die  despairing  of  Cod’s  mercy 
who  live  presuming  on  it  by  pursuing  a career  of 
sin.” 

As  the  case  seemed  desperate,  he  had  recourse 
to  desperate  remedies;  and,  finding  that  his  mere 
words  did  not  produce  the  effect  he  wished,  he,  as 
it  were,  compelled  Heaven  to  come  to  his  assist- 
ance. He  bound  himself  by  vow  (if  Almighty  God 
gave  him  this  soul)  to  say  a great  number  of 
masses  in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  the  queen 
of  heaven,  the  angels,  and  various  saints,  besides 
others  for  the  poor  souls  in  purgatory.  At  length 
he  prevailed,  and  brought  the  poor  stricken  soul 
! to  a better  state  of  hope  in  the  infinite  mercy  of 
God,  whereupon  he  received  the  last  rites  of  the 
Church,  and  soon  afterward  expired  in  peace  of 
conscience. 

Nor  was  this  the  only  consolation  granted  to 
the  holy  soul  of  Xavier  on  his  arrival  at  Malacca. 
Gratifying  indeed  was  it  to  him  to  witness  the  ad- 
mirable fruits  already  resulting  from  the  indefati- 
gable labors  of  Father  Francis  Perez  and  Brother 
: Koch  Olivier,  whom  he  had  sent  from  Goa  the 
year  before  to  found  a college  of  the  Society  here 


316 


THE  LIFE  OF 


They  had  been  received  with  acclamation  by  the 
whole  city , but  took  up  their  lodging  in  a poor- 
house,  where  they  immediately  opened  schools. 
As  this  duty  fell  to  the  share  of  Olivier,  he  set 
out  in  quest  of  children,  and  toward  mid-day  pe- 
rambulated the  streets  and  suburbs,  ringing  a little 
bell  to  call  the  attention  of  the  people,  whom  he 
besought  for  the  love  of  God  to  send  their  children, 
servants,  slaves,  and  slaves’  children,  to  him,  be- 
cause they  should  by  him  be  instructed  (gratis) 
both  in  religion  and  learning.  In  the  course  of  a 
few  days  he  had  collected  a hundred  and  eighty, 
to  whom  he  dedicated  himself  most  indefatigably. 

Father  Perez  in  the  mean  time  labored  at  the 
conversion  of  the  gentiles  and  the  reformation  of 
the  Christians.  Every  hour  of  the  day,  and  every 
day  of  the  week,  had  its  allotted  function.  The 
private  lives  of  these  two  were  as  edifying  as  their 
public  lives  were  useful, — humble,  contemners  of 
self  and  of  the  world,  recollected  in  God,  extreme 
poverty  in  lodging,  food,  and  clothing,  distributing 
whatever  they  received  among  the  poor  and  the 
sick.  Their  example  preached  more  eloquently 
than  their  words,  insomuch  that  many  wished  to 
join  them  and  to  adopt  their  mode  of  life;  but,  as 
they  had  no  authority  for  this,  all  they  could  do 
was  to  give  the  Spiritual  Exercises  and  help  these 
aspirants  onward  to  perfection  as  best  they  could 
One  of  these — a Portuguese  named  John  Bravo, 
aged  nineteen,  and  having  great  worldly  expecta- 
tions— was  so  eager  to  be  received  into  the  So- 
ciety that  he  would  have  started  off  to  Goa  for  the 
purpose,  had  there  not  been  an  idea  that  Father 
Francis  would  ere  long  visit  Malacca,  and  that  ho 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  £17 

could  then  by  him  be  admitted.  So  far  satisfied, 
he  began  to  adopt  their  plan  of  life,  in  order  to 
try  and  deserve  the  favor.  In  an  old  faded  dress, 
he  went  and  undertook  to  serve  the  fathers  as  a 
servant,  made  the  Spiritual  Exercises  for  a whole 
month,  spent  another  three  months  serving  the 
sick  in  the  hospitals,  going  through  the  streets 
begging  alms  for  them, — though  he  more  frequently 
received  rebuffs  than  bread.  Xavier  received  this 
promising  young  subject  with  great  delight;  and, 
as  he  seemed  to  be  a soul  of  no  ordinary  stamp, 
he  would  himself  be  his  instructor  so  long  as  he 
remained  at  Malacca.  Nor  was  this  enough;  for 
when  he  was  on  the  point  of  starting  for  Japan 
he  gave  him  some  written  rules  of  conduct,  few  in 
number,  it  is  true,  but  quite  sufficient,  if  faithfully 
followed,  for  the  acquirement  of  religious  perfec- 
tion. Emanating  from  so  great  a spiritual  master, 
we  presume  they  will  not  be  unacceptable  to  the 
pious  reader,  and  therefore  transcribe  them,  copied 
from  the  original - 

“ Twice  in  the  day  you  will  recollect  yourself, — 
in  the  morning  as  soon  as  you  awake,  and  in  the 
evening,  and  for  the  space  of  an  hour  and  a half, 
or  an  hour  at  the  least,  you  will  meditate  on  the  life 
of  Christ  our  Savior,  following  the  method  pre- 
scribed in  the  book  of  the  Spiritual  Exercises  of  our 
holy  Father  Ignatius,  with  regard  to  the  division 
of  the  mysteries,  as  well  as  for  all  the  rest;  and 
at  the  end  of  your  meditation,  both  morning  and 
evening,  renew  your  vows  of  poverty,  chastity, 
and  obedience;  for  this  is  the  perpetual  sacrifice 
offered  in  the  living  temples  of  religious  souls, — 
the  sacrifice  most  acceptable  to  God,  and  by  means 
27* 


?1S 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  which  they  acquire  most  strength  and  gain  most 
grace  for  repelling  the  assaults  of  the  enemy.  Be- 
fore you  retire  to  rest  for  the  night,  never  fail  to 
sxamine  your  conscience,  repassing  your  thoughts, 
words,  and  actions  of  the  day,  noticing  the  offences 
you  have  committed  against  God  as  minutely  as 
if  you  were  going  to  confess  them  : then  beg  par- 
don of  the  divine  majesty,  purpose  amendment, 
and  recite  a Pater  Noster  and  an  Ave  Maria.  For 
a moment  or  two  consider  how  you  may  best  cor- 
rect yourself.  On  awaking  in  the  morning,  let  it 
be  your  first  care  to  recall  to  mind  the  defects  no- 
ticed in  your  examen  the  previous  night,  humbling 
yourself  and  deploring  them.  Whilst  dressing 
yourself,  prepare  for  meditation,  and  at  the  same 
time  beg  grace  of  Almighty  God  not  to  fall  into 
any  new  faults  in  the  course  of  the  present  day ) 
for  this  is  about  the  best  disposition  you  can  carry 
with  you  to  meditation.  Make  it  a point  of  con- 
science not  to  neglect  any  part  of  these  exercises, 
nor  even  to  change  the  order  of  them ; and  if  you 
fail  (unless  it  be  from  infirmity  or  other  lawful  hin- 
derance)  let  not  the  day  pass  without  acknow- 
ledging your  fault  and  doing  penance  for  it.  Let 
it  be  your  chief  care  to  overcome  yourself,  always 
contradicting  your  own  inclination,  enduring  and 
embracing  what  you  most  dislike  and  abhor:  study 
m all  things  to  be  depressed  and  humbled,  because 
without  true  humility  you  will  never  become  spi- 
ritual, nor  be  useful  to  the  salvation  of  your  neigh- 
bor, nor  be  caressed  by  the  saints,  nor  be  pleasing 
to  God,  nor  persevere  in  this  our  little  Society, 
which  could  never  tolerate  proud,  arrogant  men, 
—men  addicted  to  their  own  judgment  or  tena 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


319 


eious  of  their  own  honor:  for,  indeed,  such  sort 
of  people  never  conform  themselves  to  any  thing. 
Do  you,  on  the  contrary,  obey  every  superior  in 
whatever  he  may  command,  without  contradiction 
or  excuse,  but  with  the  same  exactitude  and 
promptitude  as  you  would  obey  our  holy  Father 
Ignatius  himself.  In  like  manner,  give  him  a full 
account  of  your  soul,  disclosing  to  him  separately 
and  singly  your  temptations,  your  evil  inclinations 
of  character,  &c.;  because,  besides  this  being  neces- 
sary to  enable  him  to  apply  the  necessary  reme- 
dies, the  very  act  of  humiliation  undergone  in 
making  these  disclosures,  subjecting  oneself  to 
another,  (how  much  more  when  he  is  a superior!) 
is  of  itself  often  sufficient  to  put  the  devil  to  flight; 
for,  as  he  often  does  more  by  deceit  than  by  open 
force,  to  discover  him  is  to  overthrow  him.  More- 
over, the  most  sure  and  expeditious  means  to  ob- 
tain the  light  and  grace  of  God  is  to  seek  it  from 
those  who  hold  his  place  in  our  regard.”  Such 
were  the  instructions  given  by  St.  Francis  Xavier 
to  his  fervent  young  novice,  John  Bravo. 

During  his  stay  at  Malacca,  letters  arrived  from 
Japan,  some  to  the  father  himself,  and  some  to 
the  Governor  of  Malacca,  requesting  that  some 
members  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  might  be  sent  to 
that  kingdom.  The  origin  of  so  extraordinary  a 
demand  w^as  as  follows. 

A few  Portuguese  merchants  arrived  at  a certain 
part  of  Japan,  and  were  lodged  by  the  king  in  a 
house  which  had  long  been  uninhabited : in  fact, 
it  had  the  reputation  of  being  haunted  by  evil 
spirits.  The  poor  Portuguese,  knowing  nothing 
. of  this,  unsuspectingly  took  possession  of  the 


320 


THE  LIFE  OF 


bouse;  and,  although  they  were  frequently  dis- 
turbed by  strange  noises  and  bowlings,  as  of  wild 
leasts,  they  had  not  the  slightest  idea  of  the  cause, 
till  one  night  they  were  terribly  alarmed  by  the 
screams  of  one  of  their  servants.  Supposing  him 
to  have  been  assailed  by  some  of  the  natives,  they 
promptly  armed  themselves  and  hastened  to  the 
rescue;  but,  finding  the  man  alone,  and  trembling 
with  fright,  they  eagerly  inquired  the  cause  of  the 
disturbance.  He  told  them  that  a hideous  devil 
had  appeared  to  him,  and  he  described  it  as  some- 
thing most  formidable.  This  information  was  by 
no  means  agreeable  to  the  Portuguese,  who,  how- 
ever, had  immediate  recourse  to  more  opportune 
weapons  than  those  of  military  warfare  : they 
fixed  a number  of  crosses  on  all  the  walls  of  their 
house,  and  from  thenceforward  were  left  wholly 
undisturbed.  The  neighbors,  who  were  watching 
with  intense  interest  the  proceedings  of  the  strangers 
in  their  haunted  habitation,  became  acquainted 
with  all  that  had  occurred,  a report  of  which  soon 
spread  through  the  country.  The  cross  at  once 
rose  high  in  the  estimation  of  the  people,  who 
planted  it  in  their  highroads  and  kept  it  in  their 
houses  as  a most  valued  treasure.  However,  as 
they  knew  nothing  more  about  the  cross  than 
this  circumstance  connected  with  the  merchants, 
they  became  curious  to  ascertain  from  whence  it 
derived  its  power  over  the  devils;  and,  being  an 
swered  that  the  Son  of  God  had  died  upon  it  to 
redeem  the  world,  their  curiosity  was  redoubled  : 
they  asked  a thousand  questions,  and  proposed 
many  subtle  doubts  upon  the  mysteries  of  our 
faith.  The  Portuguese,  who  understood  commerce 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  821 

much  better  than  divinity,  advised  them  to  send 
to  the  Governor  of  Malacca  and  request  him  to 
send  them  some  fathers  of  the  Society,  who  would 
be  best  able  to  answer  all  their  questions.  The 
advice  was  taken,  and  by  the  authority  and  orders 
of  the  king,  who  despatched  an  ambassador  in  his 
own  name  for  the  purpose. 

So  remarkable  a circumstance  was  looked  upon 
by  Xavier  as  a sign  that  our  Lord  would  have 
him  hasten  his  voyage  to  Japan,  although  it  was 
then  an  unfavorable  season  for  crossing  those 
seas,  tempestuous  enough  at  the  best  of  times. 
His  expedition  necessarily  gave  rise  to  some  cor- 
respondence between  himself  and  the  Governor  of 
the  Indies,  Don  Garcia  di  Sa,  then  residing  at 
Bazaim.  He  frequently,  in  speaking  of  his  excel- 
lency, alluded  to  his  approaching  death,  and  once 
openly  said  that  Don  Garcia  had  but  a short  time 
to  live.  There  appeared  but  little  probability  that 
the  prediction  would  be  verified,  for  the  governor 
was  then  in  the  prime  of  life  and  in  the  enjoyment 
of  robust  health  : nevertheless,  he  died  suddenly 
in  less  than  two  months  from  the  date  of  the  pro- 
phecy. 

There  were  some  Portuguese  merchants  at  Ma- 
lacca who  intended  sailing  to  Japan,  and,  being 
conscious  of  the  security  which  the  presence  of 
Xavier  would  give  to  their  ships,  vied  with  each 
other  in  their  endeavors  to  persuade  him  to  ac- 
company them;  but,  finding  that  none  of  them 
were  as  yet  ready  to  start, — some  wanting  freight, 
others  rigging,  others  passengers,  and  so  on, — he 
was  unwilling  to  delay  his  departure  till  these 
arrangements  could  be  completed.  It  so  happened 
V 


822 


THE  LIFE  OF 


that  at  the  time  there  was  a Chinese  corsaii 
in  the  port,  an  idolater,  a sorcerer,  the  leader  of  a 
band  of  robbers, — in  fine,  a man  so  notoriously 
wicked  as  to  have  obtained  for  his  junk  the  name 
of  the  robber's  junk.  Hearing  that  the  saint  was 
eager  for  an  immediate  passage  direct  to  Japan, 
he  went  and  offered  to  convey  him  there  at  once, 
without  so  much  as  touching  at  any  of  the  Chinese 
ports.  A compact  with  Hon  Peter  di  Silva,  the 
Governor  of  Malacca,  was  made  to  this  effect,  in 
spite  of  the  opposition  of  the  Portuguese  mer- 
chants, who  were  extremely  unwilling  that  so  pre- 
cious a life  should  be  intrusted  to  such  treacherous 
hands ; but  his  zeal  could  brook  no  longer  delay, 
and  he  courageously  accepted  the  offer.  He  and 
his  companions  cheerfully  entered  the  infamous 
junk — the  robber's  junk — on  the  24th  of  June,  1549. 

Ho  sooner  were  they  fairly  out  in  open  sea  than 
the  captain  and  his  crew  erected  an  idol  on  deck, 
to  which  they  sacrificed  birds,  burned  perfumes, 
and  offered  a thousand  other  marks  of  adoration  : 
they  had  recourse  to  it  as  to  an  oracle,  to  ascertain 
the  issue  of  the  journey,  the  winds  and  the  wea- 
ther; and  the  devil,  who  had  no  greater  enemy 
in  the  world  than  our  saint,  gave  answers  to  suit 
his  own  purpose.  When  they  had  traversed  about 
four  hundred  miles,  the  oracle  was  asked  whether 
any  trials  awaited  them.  The  response  was,  that 
the  wind  would  be  prosperous  and  the  sea  calm  : 
therefore  they  were  to  hasten  their  course  and 
lose  no  time.  It  was  afterward  ascertained  that 
the  object  of  the  fiend  in  giving  this  answer  was, 
that  they  might  just  reach  a certain  point  of  the 
ocean  at  the  moment  when  it  would  be  (as  he  fore- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  323 

saw)  in  a most  dangerous  and  tempestuous  state, 
in  which  case  the  vessel  would  indubitably  perish 
among  the  rocks  which  abound  along  the  coasts 
of  Cochin  China;  but  Almighty  God  defeated  the 
schemes  of  the  infernal  foe,  and  before  the  junk 
reached  the  dangerous  pass  the  storm  had  sub- 
sided, though  it  had  held  the  sea  in  a turmoil  for 
a whole  day  and  night. 

In  the  mean  time  a strange  accident  occurred, 
which  placed  the  lives  of  our  Christian  travellers 
in  no  small  peril.  The  young  Chinese,  called 
Emanuel,  who  was  accompanying  the  saint  to 
Japan,  accidentally  fell,  head  foremost,  into  the 
ship’s  sink,  from  which  he  was  with  difficulty  ex- 
tricated, much  bruised  and  apparently  half  dead. 
As  the  fall  was  from  a considerable  height,  and  as 
he  had  remained  a considerable  time  in  the  sink, 
the  preservation  of  his  life  was  ascribed  to  the 
miraculous  powers  of  the  saint.  Not  long  after 
this  accident,  as  the  sea  was  very  rough,  the  ship 
lurched  heavily  on  one  side,  and  by  some  mis- 
chance the  captain’s  daughter,  a young  pagan 
child,  fell  overboard  and  was  drowned.  Terrific 
shrieks  rent  the  air,  and  such  was  the  commotion 
on  board  that  the  ship  seemed  almost  transformed 
into  a little  hell:  the  oracle  was  immediately  con- 
sulted as  to  the  cause  of  so  dire  a misfortune, 
when  the  devil,  availing  himself  of  the  opportu- 
nity to  excite  rage  against  the  saint,  answered 
that  if  the  Christian  had  been  left  to  die  in  the 
sink  the  captain’s  daughter  would  not  have  pe- 
rished in  the  waves.  It  would  be  impossible  to 
describe  the  fury  of  the  bereaved  father  at  these 
words:  he  loaded  the  saint  with  abuse,  and  for  a 


324 


THE  LIFE  OF 


moment  or  two  there  was  every  prospect  of  Xa- 
vier and  his  associates  being  hurled  overboard : 
he,  however, remained  calm  and  undismayed,  caring 
nothing  for  the  injuries  inflicted  on  himself,  but 
deploring  most  sincerely  the  abominable  supersti- 
tion of  which  he  was  compelled  to  be  the  unwilling 
witness. 

Several  times  did  he  attempt  to  bring  these 
savages  to  a better  state ; but,  perceiving  that  the 
more  he  preached  so  much  the  more  obstinate  did 
they  become,  he  directed  his  prayers  to  God,  be- 
seeching him  to  enlighten  their  benighted  minds, 
or,  if  his  infinite  wisdom  did  not  think  fit  to  grant 
so  much,  that  he  would  at  least  increase  the 
accidental  torments  of  the  devil,  for  the  enormous 
sacrilege  of  thus  causing  himself  to  be  adored  as 
God ! And  from  various  signs  we  may  infer  that 
his  prayer  was  heard : he  himself  attests  in  one  of 
his  letters  to  his  brethren  at  Goa,  that  the  infu- 
riated fiend  made  several  open  attempts  to  terrify 
him,  often  threatening  him,  and  audaciously  telling 
him  that  the  time  was  now  come  when  he  would 
repay  himself  for  all  his  losses,  and  wreak  his  pent- 
up  vengeance  upon  the  saint  now  that  he  had  him 
in  his  power.  But  Xavier  stood  firm,  in  the  cer- 
tain conviction  that  the  enemy  could  go  no  further 
than  God  permitted  him : he  therefore  despised 
him,  and  declared  that  he  feared  nothing,  unless 
it  were  the  transient  passage  through  his  mind  of 
some  shadow  of  vain  fear. 

The  wind  again  becoming  favorable,  they  re- 
sumed their  course,  though  the  captain  was  re- 
solved to  stay  and  winter  in  one  of  the  ports  of 
China,  instead  of  going  direct  to  Japan,  according 


SAINT  FA  AN  CIS  XAVIER. 


& 


to  agreement.  He  came  to  this  decision  after  con- 
sulting his  idol  as  to  whether  the  ship  would  re- 
turn from  Japan  to  Malacca.  He  was  answered 
that  if  the  junk  reached  Japan  1 efore  the  expira 
tion  of  the  year  it  would  never  more  visit  Malacca. 
This  answer  alarmed  the  robbers,  who  now  sought 
pretexts  for  delay.  The  saint,  being  aware  of 
their  machinations,  and  being  unable  to  move  them 
either  by  argument  or  entreaty,  threatened  them 
with  the  indignation  of  the  Governor  of  Malacca, 
to  whom  they  had  formally  pledged  themselves  to 
sail  direct  to  Japan.  But  all  proved  ineffectual; 
and  they  were  on  the  point  of  halting  off  the  coast 
of  China,  when  they  fortunately  fell  in  with  a 
friendly  vessel,  admonishing  them  that  the  shores 
thereabouts  were  infested  with  pirates;  whereupon 
the  junk  tacked,  and  turned  her  prow  toward 
Canton,  which  she  had  already  passed  some  time 
before.  Almighty  God,  however,  who,  in  spite 
of  them,  would  have  his  servant  in  Japan,  sent  a 
contrary  wind,  which  compelled  them,  notwith- 
standing their  opposition,  to  take  the  straight  line 
to  Japan, — the  ship  carrying  them  precisely  to 
Cangoxima,  the  native  place  of  Paul  of  the  holy 
faith.  Indescribable  was  the  delight  of  the  saint 
at  finding  himself,  after  so  many  disasters,  at  the 
long-sighed-for  term;  and  his  joy  was  considerably 
increased  by  the  circumstance  of  their  reaching 
port  on  the  glorious  festival  of  our  Blessed  Lady’s 
Assumption,  in  the  year  1549.  He  had  always 
chosen  her  as  the  special  patroness  of  his  under- 
takings, and  more  particularly  of  this  one,  wherein 
he  hoped  to  effect  the  conversion  of  the  vast 
empire  of  Japan 


28 


THE  I.IFB  OF 


^ook  % CJrirfr. 

I 

i 

Japan  being  the  chief  theatre  of  the  apostolic1 
labors  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  the  reader  will  pro- 
bably wish  for  some  few  details  concerning  it, 
more  especially  as  its  natural  characteristics  are 
so  different  from  those  of  other  Oriental  states: 
indeed,  without  these  details,  we  should  be  unable 
to  appreciate  the  glorious  deeds  of  our  holy 
apostle. 

Japan  is  an  extensive  empire  in  the  eastern  ex- 
tremity of  Asia,  consisting  of  four  large  islands 
and  a number  of  smaller  ones,  which  are  separated 
from  the  peninsula  of  Corea  and  the  coasts  of 
Chinese  Tartary  by  the  Straits  of  Corea  and  the 
Sea  of  Japan.  It  is  estimated  to  contain  two 
hundred  thousand  square  miles,  with  a popula- 
tion of  twenty-five  millions.  The  principal  island 
is  Niphon  or  Japan,  w’hich  gives  its  name  to  the 
whole  country. 

By  the  policy  of  its  government,  Japan  is  so 
completely  insulated  from  the  rest  of  the  world, 
and  is  marked  by  such  striking  and  peculiar  fea- 
tures, as  justly  to  attract  a large  share  of  Euro- 
pean curiosity.  Its  islands  are  intersected  by 
chains  of  mountains,  several  of  which  are  volcanic, 
and  some  of  them  so  lofty  as  to  be  covered  with 
perpetual  snow.  Many  of  the  valleys  are  fertile, 
although  the  soil  is  not  generally  so;  but  the  ex- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  327 

traordiuary  ingenuity  and  industry  of  the  inhabit- 
ants have  rendered  even  the  most  barren  spot? 
productive.  Here,  as  in  China,  steep  hills  are  cut 
into  successive  terraces,  supported  by  sustaining- 
walls  of  stone,  and  bearing  crops  even  to  their 
summits.  Eice,  the  principal  article  of  food,  is,  of 
course,  the  favorite  crop;  but  wheat,  barley,  and 
other  grains  are  likewise  cultivated.  A liquor  ex- 
tracted from  rice  is  the  common  beverage  of  the 
lower  classes:  I say  of  the  lower  classes,  because 
the  nobility  accustom  themselves  to  a decoction 
of  tea,  drank  warm,  and  as  much  prized  here  as  in 
China.  The  Japanese  will  go  to  a most  extrava- 
gant price  in  the  purchase  of  vessels  for  their  tea; 
and,  what  is  yet  more  strange,  the  value  is  not 
rated  according  to  the  material  of  which  the  vessel 
is  made,  but  according  to  its  antiquity.  The  King 
of  Bungo  gave  fourteen  thousand  ducats  for  a very 
ancient  one  composed  only  of  common  earthen- 
ware; and  another  was  shown  at  Meaco  which 
cost  thirty  thousand. 

The  country  is  peculiarly  rich  in  vegetable  pro- 
ductions, the  Japanese  having  imported  all  that 
was  useful  from  other  countries  with  which  they 
have  had  intercourse:  it  abounds  likewise  in 
mineral  wealth,  gold,  silver,  and  copper  being 
found  in  abundance. 

The  houses,  though  built  of  wood,  and  but  one 
story  high,  on  account  of  frequent  earthquakes, 
are  spacious,  commodious,  and  well  arranged;  the 
beams  and  partitions  are  of  cedar-wood,  orna- 
mented with  painting  and  fine  varnish,  which  pro- 
tect it  from  the  effects  of  the  atmosphere.  Their 
mode  of  varnishing  is  inimitable:  for  their  supe- 


328 


THE  LIFE  OF 


riority  in  this  art  they  are  indebted  to  the  juice 
of  a tree  called  arusi.  In  figure,  they  are  generally 
rather  below  the  middle  size;  their  complexion 
olive;  small  eyes,  with  intelligent  and  expressive 
countenance.  All  writers  agree  in  admitting  that 
they  are  a sensible  and  inquisitive  people:  art,  and 
even  science,  has  made  considerable  progress 
among  them.  History,  poetry,  music,  painting, 
and  geography  are  among  their  favorite  branches 
of  education.  They  are  particularly  curious  on 
religious  matters,  and  are  so  well  disposed  that, 
when  once  they  are  convinced  that  a thing  is  right 
and  true,  they  embrace  and  adhere  to  it. 

Being  naturally  endowed  with  lofty,  generous 
dispositions,  they  seldom  stoop  to  meanness:  theft 
is  scarcely  known  in  Japan;  on  the  contrary,  sor- 
did avarice  is  hateful  to  them;  nor  do  they  seem 
to  care  much  for  enriching  themselves, — not  even 
the  nobility,  who  would  consider  their  rank  de- 
graded by  any  connection  with  commerce. 

Formerly  Japan  was  a monarchy,  or  rather  a 
pure  despotism,  but  with  this  peculiarity,  that  they 
acknowledge  two  sovereigns, — a spiritual  sove- 
reign, named  Dairi,  whose  capital  is  Meaco,  and  a 
temporal  monarch,  named  Kubo,  whose  capital 
is  Jeddo.  The  latter,  although  he  pays  formal 
homage  to  the  Dairi,  is  in  possession  of  all  the  real 
power  of  the  empire.  It  is  divided  into  a vast 
number  of  districts,  the  heads  of  which  are,  or  were, 
called  kings,  though  in  effect  they  are  nothing 
more  than  rulers,  unless  one  should  happen  to  sub- 
due a number  of  them, — in  which  case,  some  have 
occasionally  formed  a considerable  state.  Such  a 
number  of  petty  princes  gave  rise  to  incessant 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  329 

wars,  so  that  in  Japan  it  was  but  a fine  game  to 
see  the  sun  rise  on  one  king  and  set  on  another, 
for  this  was  of  frequent  occurrence. 

The  people  are  moderate  and  sober,  to  which,  in 
great  measure,  their  longevity  may  be  ascribed. 
They  are  fastidious  in  dress  and  furniture,  and  as 
rigorously  ceremonious  as  the  Chinese.  They 
abhor  gambling,  and  find  their  chief  recreation  in 
hunting,  and  in  the  skilful  management  of  arms, 
with  which  their  houses  are  always  well  supplied. 
The  upper  classes  never  lay  aside  a sort  of  scimitar, 
which  they  call  a catan.  Where  weapons  are  so 
constantly  worn,  it  is  astonishing  there  should  be 
so  few  quarrels  and  so  little  strife ; but  the  fact  is, 
the  Japanese  are  so  far  masters  of  their  passions 
that  they  would  be  ashamed  to  raise  their  voice,  or 
in  any  other  way  show  that  they  noticed  an  af- 
front : consequently,  it  is  always  in  cold  blood  that 
they  seek  revenge.  If  no  suitable  opportunity 
offers  for  the  recovery  of  their  offended  honor, 
they  then  consider  suicide  an  act  of  heroism,  and 
have  recourse  to  it  accordingly. 

With  regard  to  religion,  Japan  may  be  called 
one  vast  chaos  of  superstition,  though  two  systems 
are  the  most  prevalent.  The  one  called  Sinto  re- 
sembles the  mythology  of  ancient  Greece  and 
Eome, — consisting  in  the  belief  of  one  Supreme 
Being,  with  a number  of  inferior  deities.  The 
other,  Budsdo,  imported  from  Malabar,  is  nearly 
the  same  with  that  of  Buddha, — metempsychosis, 
or  the  transmigration  of  souls,  being  its  leading 
tenet.  Then  there  are  atheists;  there  are  some 
who  adore  the  sun  and  moon ; some  who  adore  the 
camis , or  semi-gods  of  the  country;  others  again 
28* 


330 


THE  LIFE  OF 


choose  various  animals  as  the  objects  of  their  de- 
votion; whilst  not  a few  adore  the  devil,  depicted 
in  the  same  hideous  form  as  is  customary  with  us. 
Besides  all  this,  they  have  a certain  mystic  god 
called  Amida,  who,  as  they  say,  built  a beautiful 
paradise  thirty  thousand  miles  distant  from  our 
earth,  and  which  the  souls  of  the  departed  cannot 
re'ach  till  three  years  after  death ; that  sometimes 
the  poor  souls  faint  on  the  journey,  and  fall  down 
on  earth  in  search  of  restoratives:  hence,  every 
year  these  sectaries  prepare  a solemn  banquet  for 
the  souls  of  their  relatives,  whom  they  go  forth  to 
meet  with  lighted  tapers.  But  when  they  think 
the  banquet  has  had  full  justice  done  it,  and  that 
the  departed  spirits  have  sufficiently  regaled  them- 
selves, the  living  friends  throw  stones  and  brandish 
sticks  about  the  house,  to  drive  the  spirits  forward 
on  their  journey,  lest,  in  cowardice,  they  become 
unmindful  of  their  distant  paradise  and  seek  to  re- 
main again  on  earth.  Such  are  the  preposterous 
errors  of  a nation  in  other  respects  so  sensible  and 
shrewd ; and  such  must  ever  be  the  case  when 
nature  is  left  to  herself,  unaided  by  the  super- 
natural light  of  faith. 

But  the  most  wonderful  fables  of  the  Japanese 
relate  to  their  supreme  deity,  whom  they  call 
Shacca,  (a  word  implying  that  he  had  no  begin- 
ning,) and  it  would  seem  that  the  devil  had  taken 
special  pains  to  give  the  deluded  people  a corrupted 
notion  of  the  true  Messias;  for  they  say  that  this 
their  Shacca  is  lord  of  the  whole  creation ; that  he 
sprung  from  a married  woman,  yet  without  the 
co-operation  of  man;  that  he  withdrew  to  the 
deserts  of  Siam,  where  he  went  through  the  most  , 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  331 

awful  penances  for  the  sins  of  men ; that  he 
preached  through  various  countries,  collected  fol- 
lowers, and  wrote  volumes  of  the  highest  wisdom. 
These  books  are  referred  to  as  oracles,  and  are 
explained  in  their  educational  establishments;  they 
are  cited  in  the  pulpit,  and  commented  upon  by 
their  wisest  teachers.  At  certain  hours  of  the  day, 
a bell  is  rung,  something  in  the  style  of  the  Angelus 
in  Catholic  countries,  when  all  kneel  down  in  re- 
verence to  some  particular  idol.  They  have  their 
pious  pilgrimages,  a superstitious  veneration  of 
relics,  their  festivals,  processions,  jubilees,  and 
even  their  general  confessions,  which  they  make, 
poised  in  an  immense  scale  overhanging  some 
dreadful  precipice.  Yet  more  : the  devil  has  his 
martyrs,  who  either  fling  themselves  from  the 
summit  of  a lofty  rock,  or  bury  themselves  alive, 
or  go  out  in  a boat  with  heavy  stones  fastened 
upon  them;  and  then,  whilst  singing  the  praises 
of  their  idols,  they  cast  themselves  into  the  sea, 
incited  thereto  by  the  devil,  who  sometimes  trans- 
forms himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  the  more 
easily  to  delude  them  into  these  deplorable  self- 
sacrifices. 

Moreover,  like  us,  they  have  a sort  of  ecclesias- 
tical hierarchy.  Their  supreme  ecclesiastical  au- 
thority is  vested  in  a pontiff  denominated  Sazzo, 
who  holds  a magnificent  court  at  Meaco.  He 
institutes  rites,  approves  sects,  canonizes  saints, 
and  consecrates  the  tundies,  corresponding  with 
our  bishops,  who  ordain  the  priests,  and  empower 
them  to  offer  sacrifices  to  and  apply  the  merits  of 
Shacca  and  Amida.  The  Japanese  religion  has 
also  its  religious,  called  bonzes,  some  of  whom 


332 


THE  LIFE  O 


live  apart  as  hermits,  and  others  in  community  in 
various  towns.  In  most  respects,  the  latter  are 
like  the  Brahmins  of  India.  Men  more  deeply 
steeped  in  iniquity  could  scarcely  be  found  on 
earth : affecting  a rigorous  abstinence,  they  revei 
amidst  the  luxuries  provided  by  their  pious  dupes, 
from  whom  they  extort  vast  sums  of  money,  under 
the  pretext  of  forgiving  them  their  sins  and  of 
purchasing  for  them  the  paradise  of  Shacca. 

But  the  poor  women  are  the  most  imposed  upon. 
The  rogues  play  upon  their  natural  timidity  and 
spiritual  tendencies,  and  tell  them  that,  in  conse- 
quence of  their  defects,  there  is  not  one  of  the  gods 
who  will  admit  them  into  his  paradise;  whereupon 
the  disconsolate  females,  hoping  to  secure  the  com- 
passion of  one  or  other  of  their  deities  through 
the  intervention  of  the  bonzes,  lavish  their  whole 
fortunes  on  them  in  the  way  of  bribes. 

The  vices  in  which  these  infamous  ministers  of 
the  devil  are  immersed  are  of  the  most  execrable 
description.  Thanks  to  their  intercourse  with  the 
monasteries  of  women,  called  Biconis,  they  have 
every  facility  of  gratifying  their  lawless  passions. 

The  nobility  place  their  children  to  be  educated 
in  the  houses  of  the  bonzes, — whereby,  we  may 
truly  say,  innocent  lambs  are  consigned  to  the 
clutches  of  the  wolf.  Not  only  do  the  teachers 
practise  vice,  but  they  openly  teach  it, — in  conse- 
quence of  which,  sensual  sexual  gratification  is 
carried  to  fearful  excesses  in  Japan.  The  saint, 
writing  from  there,  says,  “ It  may  appear  incredi- 
ble that  men  of  such  a stamp  can  be  respected; 
but  the  reverence  shown  them  arises  from  the  fact 
that  many  of  these  bonzes  are  of  noble  blood: 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


333 


some  of  them  are  even  the  sons  of  kings  and 
princes.  The  numerous  progenies  consequent  on 
polygamy  occasion  no  small  inconvenience  to  many 
fathers,  though  really  rich;  in  which  case  they 
ease  their  families  by  placing  some  of  their  sons 
in  monasteries.” 

These  bonzes  cover  their  infamies  with  most 
consummate  art,  and  thus  gain  popular  esteem : 
their  sacred  functions  are  performed  with  a decorum 
and  majesty  which  enchant  the  spectator;  they 
have  daily  choral  offices;  they  use  a sort  of  mental 
prayer,  hold  spiritual  conferences,  and  preach  in 
public,  though  scarcely  any  of  them  believe  a 
word  of  the  doctrines  which  they  so  assiduously 
teach. 

Lastly,  as  another  mock  imitation  of  Catholicity, 
the  Japanese  have  their  military-religious  order, 
composed  of  noble  cavaliers,  under  the  tutelage  of 
a special  carni  of  their  own,  called  gacubao  : these 
military  knights  number  thirty  thousand,  and  have 
ever  been  famous  for  their  prowess,  as  their  annals 
of  warfare  attest. 

Such  was  the  synagogue  established  by  Satan  in 
Japan, — truly  a derisive  counterfeit  and  monstrous 
imitation  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
system  was  in  full  operation  when  Xavier,  escorted 
by  the  queen  of  angels,  safely  landed  there  on  the 
festival  of  her  glorious  assumption  : and  as  the 
first-fruits  of  his  mission  were  due  to  her,  so  did 
they  at  once  begin  to  make  their  appearance  under 
her  auspices  at  the  court  of  the  King  of  Saxuma. 
He  was  absent  at  a distance  of  about  six  leagues 
from  Cangoxima  when  Paul  of  the  holy  fhith 
arrived  there : as  became  his  noble  rank,  he  went 


334 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  pay  his  respects  to  his  sovereign,  who  received 
him  with  marked  condescension,  and  made  inqui- 
ries with  regard  to  the  Indies,  (of  which  little  or 
nothing  was  known  in  Japan,)  of  the  manners, 
forces,  and  valor  of  the  Portuguese, — passing  from 
one  topic  to  another,  till  at  last  they  fell  on  the 
religions  of  India,  especially  Christianity,  then 
recently  introduced  from  Europe.  Paul  spoke  as 
such  a subject  deserved, — praised  its  elevated 
mysteries,  the  sanctity  of  its  doctrine,  so  conform- 
able to  the  dictates  of  right  reason,  a doctrine 
received  and  observed  by  so  vast  a portion  of  the 
world.  Observing  that  the  king  listened  to  him 
with  pleasure  and  seemed  to  give  credit  to  his 
words,  he  displayed  before  him  a well-painted  pic- 
ture of  our  blessed  Lady  with  her  divine  infant 
in  her  arms:  it  had  been  given  him  by  Xavier 
expressly  for  the  purpose  of  being  shown  to  the 
king  if  a suitable  opportunity  offered.  The  feeling 
of  piety  and  respect  with  which  the  monarch 
gazed  upon  the  painting  seemed  like  a miracle  of 
divine  grace : he  called  all  his  nobles  to  admire  it, 
and  he  and  they  reverentially  knelt  down  before 
it.  He  then  sent  for  the  queen-mother,  with  all 
the  ladies  of  her  court,  who  no  sooner  beheld  it 
than  they  too  prostrated,  and  remained  lowly  bent 
before  it  for  some  time.  Paul  was  asked  a thou- 
sand questions  about  it;  such  as,  who  the  beauti- 
ful damsel  was;  to  whom  the  child  belonged; 
where  he  was  born;  and  why  the  Christians  held 
him  and  his  mother  in  such  high  veneration. 
Whereupon  Paul  gave  a short  sketch  of  the  life 
and  wonderful  works  of  our  divine  Savior,  from 
his  birth  till  his  ascension  into  heaven  : these  de- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  335 

tails  excited  the  astonishment  and  respect  of  all 
present,  more  especially  of  the  queen,  who  a few 
days  after  Paul’s  return  home  sent  one  of  her 
gentlemen  to  beg  a copy  of  the  picture;  but,  as 
they  could  not  then  find  an  artist  equal  to  the 
task,  she  again  sent  to  him,  requesting  him  to  let 
her  have  in  writing  a summary  of  the  mysteries  of 
the  Christian  religion, — in  which  he  took  care  to 
oblige  her  as  soon  as  he  could. 

Whilst  these  things  were  going  on  at  court,  vast 
numbers  of  people  flocked  to  Paul’s  house  (where 
the  saint  and  his  companions  found  a most  hospita- 
ble home)  to  gratify  their  inquisitive  spirit,  ever  on 
the  alert  with  regard  to  the  new  religion  and  to 
see  the  far-famed  beautiful  picture  brought  from 
India,  and  still  more  to  see  the  European  bonzes, 
as  they  called  Xavier  and  his  fellow-laborers.  It 
is  astonishing  what  a deep  impression  was  made 
by  the  saintly  aspect,  no  less  than  by  the  conduct, 
of  these  holy  men,  who  had  so  generously  aban- 
doned country,  family,  and  all  they  held  most  dear 
on  earth,  to  travel  a space  of  twenty  thousand 
miles  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  teach  the  Japan- 
ese the  way  of  salvation  : it  seemed  as  if  they  could 
never  see  or  hear  enough  of  them.  Although  their 
dress  was  poor  and  their  comportment  humble, 
when  the  natives  understood  that  they  had  not 
sailed  thither  to  enrich  themselves,  the  contrast 
between  their  conduct  and  that  of  the  bonzes  told 
sadly  to  the  disparagement  of  the  latter,  and 
created  a feeling  in  favor  of  the  Christian  faith 
which  Paul,  who  was  full  of  the  spirit  of  Cod, 
nourished  day  and  night,  as  we  may  say,  by  an- 
swering all  questions  and  serving  as  interpreter  to 


336 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Xavier.  The  zeal  of  the  fervent  neophyte  soon 
produced  due  fruit : God  was  pleased  to  give  him 
(as  the  most  desired)  the  soul  of  his  dear  wife, 
whc  was  the  first  to  be  converted  : she  was  fol- 
lowed by  a daughter,  and  by  several  other  rela- 
tives, who  after  being  instructed  were  baptized. 

In  the  mean  time  Xavier  was  preparing  himself 
for  his  arduous  duty  of  preaching  the  gospel  to  an 
infidel  people,  trying  to  furnish  himself  with  the 
aids  requisite,  most  especially  a profound  humility, 
arising  from  the  clear  conviction  of  his  own 
nothingness  and  of  his  utter  insufficiency  and  de- 
ficiency in  all  that  was  wanting  to  insure  success. 
He  knew  it  was  a task  of  no  small  difficulty  to 
convict  so  many  sects  of  falsehood,  so  many  bonzes 
of  ignorance,  to  expose  their  mysteries  to  derision 
and  their  conduct  to  discredit,  to  subvert  the  wor- 
ship of  such  a variety  of  deities,  both  native  and 
foreign,  and  to  substitute  instead  of  it  the  worship 
of  a God  incarnate  and  crucified ! And  this  was 
to  be  done  not  merely  in  a single  province,  amidst 
a few  illiterate  peasants,  but  through  a vast  empire, 
whose  people  are  naturally  haughty,  perverse,  and 
sensual  by  habit,  inquisitive  and  self-willed  in  their 
religious  opinions.  And  although,  as  he  said  in 
his  letters,  he  knew  the  Japanese  to  possess  keener 
intellect  and  to  be  more  accessible  to  truth  than 
any  other  infidel  nation  he  had  as  yet  visited,  he 
foresaw,  nevertheless,  that  hell  would  wage  fierce 
war  ere  it  would  allow  so  rich  a prey  to  be  wrested 
from  its  grasp, — a prey  of  which  it  had  held  undis- 
puted possession  for  so  many  centuries.  Besides, 
how  vigorously  would  not  the  bonzes  defend  the 
ancient  religion  of  the  country, — men  so  powerful 


SAINT  I'RANCIS  XAVIER.  337 

in  influence  with  the  kings,  and  so  much  revered 
and  feared  by  the  people,  men  whose  interest  it 
was  to  maintain  the  existing  order  of  things! — for 
what  would  become  of  them  if  their  religion  sank 
into  disrepute  ? 

Xavier  saw  that,  to  work  effectually,  his  first 
blow  must  be  aimed  at  these  bonzes,  the  root  of 
the  evils  which  from  them  ran  through  the  whole 
nation;  but  for  this  he  knew  that  he  must,  as  it 
wTere,  annihilate  himself  in  the  knowledge  of  his 
own  incompetency;  he  must  entirely  abandon 
himself  to  God;  so  that,  daring  nothing  of  himself, 
he  boldly  ventured  upon  all  in  him  and  trusting  to 
his  aid;  unhesitatingly  confronting  dangers,  and 
even  death  itself,  in  his  cause;  acknowledging  that 
of  himself  he  could  only  do  just  so  much  as  God 
enabled  him,  and  leaving  himself  as  an  instrument 
in  his  hands,  to  be  used  at  the  discretion  of  the 
Artificer. 

With  these  and  similar  considerations  did  our 
holy  apostle  arm  himself,  and  so  successfully  that, 
writing  from  Cangoxima  to  his  brethren  at  Goa,  he 
says,  “Since  there  is  so  great  a difference  between 
the  falsehoods  of  the  bonzes  and  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  and  between  the  means  prescribed  by  God 
to  attain  salvation  and  their  deviations  from  the 
right  path,  it  may  easily  be  foreseen  that  we  shall 
meet  with  stronger  persecution  than  that  of  mere 
words.  We  come  here  with  no  other  view  than  to 
lead  the  Japanese  to  the  knowledge  of  their  Crea- 
tor and  Redeemer,  Jesus  Christ;  and  we  live  in 
great  hopes  that  he  will  himself  assist  us  with  his 
grace  and  give  us  strength  and  aid  to  complete  the 
enterprise.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  seculars  will 
W 29 

i 


338 


THE  LIFE  OF 


not  be  much  apposed  to  our  teaching  unless  the 
bonzes  excite  and  rouse  them  against  us : on  our 
part,  we  will  enter  upon  no  contests  excepting 
those  of  argument  and  reason  : nevertheless,  we 
will  not  on  their  account  refrain  from  preaching 
for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  their 
60uls;  neither  can  they  hinder  us,  nor  will  they  be 
able  to  harm  us  one  iota  more  than  is  permitted 
them  by  Almighty  God ; and  if  at  their  instigation 
any  injury  should  be  inflicted  on  us,  it  would 
indeed  be  a great  recompense  for  our  love  and  zeal 
in  the  service  of  God,  that  the  days  of  this  our 
exile  should  be  shortened,  that  the  death  in  the 
midst  of  which  we  perpetually  live  should  be 
brought  to  an  end,  that  the  term  of  our  desires 
should  be  speedily  attained,  and  that  we  should 
all  the  sooner  begin  to  reign  eternally  with  Christ. 
We  are  resolutely  determined  to  proclaim  the  truth, 
in  spite  of  the  bonzes,  and  no  matter  at  what  cost 
to  ourselves ; because  God  obliges  us  to  make  more 
account  of  the  salvation  of  our  neighbor  than  of 
our  own  lives,  and  we  are  resolved  to  obey  this 
command  of  God.”  Then,  as  he  intended  to  sum- 
mon other  fathers  from  Goa  to  pursue  the  plan  ot 
converting  Japan,  he  teaches  them  how  to  prepare 
themselves  for  worthily  carrying  out  their  so  sub- 
lime vocation  as  is  this  of  the  apostolic  ministry. 
As  tending  to  his  honor  and  to  the  edification  of 
the  reader,  we  will  add  another  extract  from  the 
same  letter,  showing  the  philosophy  of  soul  neces- 
sary to  all  those  who,  like  him,  undertake  great 
things  in  the  service  of  God.  “ I can  never  too 
often  repeat  to  you  that  our  Lord  is  incomparably 
more  pleased  with  a good  will  accompanied  by  pro* 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  339 

found  humility,  in  those  who  consecrate  them- 
selves and  their  lives  to  him,  than  with  any  other 
offering  they  can  make  him,  however  great  and 
important  it  may  be.  Hold  yourselves  in  readi- 
ness to  come  to  Japan,  whither  I shall  call  several 
of  you  before  the  expiration  of  the  next  two  years. 
In  the  mean  time  arm  yourselves  with  a great 
stock  of  humility;  labor  studiously  to  overcome 
self  in  whatever  is  repugnant  to  you,  and  in  all 
that  is  most  opposed  to  your  natural  inclinations; 
use  the  light  which  God  may  afford  you  to  acquire 
an  intimate  knowledge  of  self,  by  which  means 
you  will  advance  in  faith,  hope,  love,  confidence  in 
God,  and  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  your  neighbor; 
and,  as  true  confidence  in  God  springs  from  self- 
diffidence, endeavor  above  all  things  to  ground 
yourselves  in  solid  humility;  for,  wherever  you 
may  be,  but  more  especially  in  Japan,  you  will 
find  it  more  necessary  than  you  can  possibly  ima- 
gine. Hence  I beseech  you  to  place  all  your 
trust  in  God, — not  in  yourselves,  nor  in  your  own 
strength  and  talents,  however  great  they  may  be 
in  human  opinion.  Thus  only  will  you  become 
equal  to  the  great  adversities,  whether  of  mind  or 
body,  to  which  you  may  be  exposed  in  the  service 
of  God,  who  sustains  and  consoles  the  humble,  and 
those  who  learn  by  little  things  to  be  convinced  of 
their  own  weakness,  and  who  from  this  knowledge 
take  courage  to  overcome  themselves.  To  persons 
of  this  stamp,  neither  the  greatest  possible  adver- 
sities, nor  the  assaults  of  the  devil,  nor  perils  by 
sea,  nor  barbarity  on  land,  nor  any  creature  what- 
soever, would  bring  any  real  damage  or  intimida- 
tion.” 


340 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Having  thus  disposed  himself,  by  the  humble 
knowledge  of  .iis  own  nothingness,  to  receive 
other  gifts  of  God  into  his  soul,  he  sought  for  still 
further  aid  from  heaven, — viz.,  the  favor  and  pro- 
tection of  the  saints.  “ I live,”  said  he,  “in  great 
hopes  that  God  will  likewise  grant  me  this  favor; 
because  I utterly  distrust  myself,  placing  all  my 
hope  in  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary 
his  mother,  in  the  nine  choirs  of  angels,  among 
whom  I have  chosen  for  my  patron  St.  Michael, 
the  prince  and  champion  of  the  Church  militant; 
and  I expect  not  a little  from  this  archangel,  to  whose 
special  care  the  vast  empire  of  Japan  is  intrusted. 
I commend  myself  daily  in  a particular  manner 
to  him,  and  to  all  the  other  guardian  angels  of  the 
Japanese,  because  it  is  the  duty  of  their  office  to 
pray  for  the  salvation  of  their  clients.  Neither 
do  I fail  to  invoke  all  those  saints  who  continually 
sigh  over  the  loss  of  so  many  souls,  and  who  inces- 
santly pray  for  their  conversion.  And  confidently 
do  I hope  that  my  transgressions,  and  my  negli- 
gence in  recommending  these  souls,  as  I ought  to 
do,  to  the  whole  court  of  heaven,  will  be  supplied 
for  by  our  blessed  brethren  of  the  Society  who  are 
already  in  paradise.  I implore  them  incessantly 
to  place  my  poor  desires  before  the  throne  of  the 
Divinity.” 

To  these  earnest  endeavors  to  sectire  the  protec- 
tion of  Heaven  were  added  all  other  means  calcu- 
lated to  qualify  him  for  the  successful  preaching 
of  the  gospel  in  Japan.  In  the  first  place,  he 
applied  himself  to  the  study  of  the  language,  re- 
ducing himself  again  to  the  condition  and  simplicity 
of  childhood,  learning  the  words  and  their  signifi* 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  341 

cation  one  by  one,  the  verbs,  the  pronunciation, 
comparing  sounds,  and  acquiring  the  idioms  of 
this  barbarous  dialect, — an  undertaking  which 
could  not  be  otherwise  than  distasteful  to  a man 
of  his  age.  Moreover,  such  a delay  must  have 
been  doubly  trying  to  his  excessive  fervor  and 
zeal;  for,  as  he  himself  writes,  he  was  become  like 
one  deaf  and  dumb,  being  unable  to  speak  to 
others,  or  to  understand  those  who  spoke  to  him. 

Although,  as  we  have  before  remarked,  he  had 
been  favored  with  the  gift  of  tongues,  the  gift 
was  not  so  perpetual  as  to  enable  him  to  converse 
in  a foreign  tongue  the  moment  he  landed  in  this 
foreign  country.  It  was  only  when  God  was 
pleased  to  invest  him  with  this  peculiar  trait  of 
the  apostolate ; only  on  occasions  that  the  Divine 
Master  was  pleased  to  infuse  the  habit  of  a lan- 
guage. But,  whenever  this  was  the  case,  he  spoke 
it  with  as  much  grace,  elegance,  and  ease  as  if  he 
were  a native  of  the  country  in  question. 

Humility  forbade  him  ever  to  expect  this  mira- 
culous accessory,  and  he  therefore  made  himself 
at  once  a scholar,  availing  himself  of  interpreters 
to  transfer  the  mysteries  of  religion  to  the  dialect 
of  the  country;  and  then,  after  committing  them 
to  memory,  he  went  forth  to  announce  them  in 
public. 

He  began  by  doing  this  at  the  coast  of  Fishery, 
at  Malacca,  and  at  the  Moluccas.  He  did  the  same 
in  Japan,  continuing  his  studies  for  a space  of 
forty  days ; after  which  God  became  his  master, 
when  in  a moment  the  construction  of  the  lan- 
guage, its  vocabulary  and  pronunciation,  were  as 
perfectly  stamped  on  his  intellect  as  if  he  had  been 
29* 


342 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Dorn  in  Japan.  In  proof  of  which  stupendous 
miracle,  I shall  here  adduce  the  most  incontrovert- 
ible testimony.  Xavier  himself  admitted  that, 
naturally,  he  had  no  talent  for  the  acquisition  of 
languages:  nevertheless,  we  know  from  those  who 
heard  him — from  those  who  were  most  intimate 
with  him — that  he  could  discourse  fluently  in  more 
than  thirty  Indian  dialects,  all  differing  essentially 
from  each  other;  and,  what  is  yet  more  remark- 
able, when  he  has  been  speaking  in  one  single 
language,  he  was  at  the  same  time  understood  by 
people  of  several  different  nations  as  clearly  as 
if  he  had  been  addressing  each  individual  in  the 
language  peculiar  to  his  own  country.  On  this 
very  point,  listen  to  the  words  of  the  sovereign 
pontiff  himself,  words  copied  from  the  Bull  of  the 
saint’s  canonization  : — 

“ The  signs  and  prodigies  by  which  God  con- 
firmed the  words  of  his  apostles  in  the  early  years 
of  his  rising  Church,  he  mercifully  renewed  in 
favor  of  his  servant  Francis,  for  the  increase  of 
his  new  children,  brought  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth  by  his  labors. 

“ For  he  found  himself  on  a sudden  gifted  by 
God  with  a knowledge  of  the  languages  of  various 
nations  till  then  wholly  unknown  to  him,  so  as  to 
speak  them  as  fluently  as  if  he  had  received  his 
education  in  those  countries. 

“ And  it  sometimes  happened  that,  when  he  was 
preaching  to  persons  of  several  different  nations, 
each  individual  heard  him,  with  wonder  and  de- 
light, proclaiming  the  wonders  of  God  in  the  lan- 
guage of  his  own  country;  whereupon  vast  nuro- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  343 

bers,  struck  with  the  greatness  of  such  a miracle, 
received  the  word  of  God.” 

As  such  a circumstance  is  so  extremely  rare, 
and  has  never  been  conceded,  even  in  those  coun- 
tries, to  any  other  missionary  in  the  same  degree 
as  to  St.  Francis  Xavier,  we  will  add  the  evidence 
given  by  eye-witnesses,  persons  of  unimpeachable 
veracity,  fourteen  in  number,  copying  for  this 
purpose  the  words  of  the  auditors  of  the  Eota,  in 
their  Epilogue  of  the  Processes  for  the  saint’s  canon- 
ization. ‘‘There  are  two  peculiarities,”  say  they, 
“connected  with  this  fact.  First,  the  power  of 
speaking  in  an  unknown  and  foreign  idiom  with 
fluency  and  elegance,  by  one  who  had  not  learned 
the  language;  and,  secondly,  to  have  been  under- 
stood by  persons  of  divers  countries,  as  if  each  one 
were  addressed  in  his  native  dialect,  Xavier  at  the 
same  time  confining  himself  to  only  one  language.” 

Now,  then,  for  the  proofs. 

Emanuel  Fernandez,  aged  eighty,  declared  that 
he  had  seen  and  heard  Father  Francis  Xavier 
(both  at  the  Fishery  and  at  the  port  of  Tevenata- 
pan)  preaching  to  those  people  in  their  respective 
dialects  with  great  elegance  and  fluency;  at  which 
Fernandez  was  much  astonished,  because  those 
dialects  are  very  difficult  to  acquire,  and  because 
the  saint,  having  but  recently  arrived,  could  not 
possibly  have  had  time  to  study  the  language,  even 
imperfectly.  Moreover,  at  the  said  port  of  Teve- 
natapan  there  were  a number  of  strangers  col- 
lected from  various  nations : nevertheless,  he  was 
assured  by  these  foreigners  that,  in  his  sermons  to 
this  mixed  audience,  each  one  understood  him, 
and  presumed  the  father  to  be  addressing  him  in 


344 


THE  LIFE  OF 


his  mother-tongue.  The  before-named  Emanuel^ 
moreover,  affirmed  that  when  he  was  present  on 
these  occasions  he  too  supposed  the  saint  to  be  dis- 
coursing in  his  own  language.  The  saint’s  power 
in  this  particular  was  so  notorious  that,  wherever 
he  went,  it  was  expected  that  he  would  be  able  to 
converse  in  the  language  of  the  country;  and  it 
is  added  that  this  very  miracle  occasioned  the  con- 
version of  vast  multitudes. 

This  testimony  is  confirmed  by  that  of  many 
others,  who  add  that  the  elegance  of  his  pronuncia- 
tion and  style  on  these  occasions  was  unsurpassed 
even  by  the  natives  of  the  country  where  he  was 
preaching.  Rodriguez  Diaz  Pereira,  a nobleman 
belonging  to  the  king’s  court,  affirmed  that  he 
travelled  in  the  same  ship  with  Xavier  from  Ma- 
lacca to  the  isle  of  Banda,  when  he  witnessed  the 
conversion  of  the  greater  part  of  the  passengers 
and  crew,  in  consequence  of  the  miracle  of  hearing 
him  preach  in  one  language  and  yet  making  him- 
self intelligible  to  people  of  all  nations  at  one 
and  the  same  time.  Gaspar  Secheira  Abreu  de- 
clared that  once,  when  Xavier  was  preaching  in 
the  Japanese  dialect,  he  understood  him  as  speak- 
ing in  Portuguese ; whilst  at  the  same  time  other 
foreigners  understood  him  as  speaking  in  their 
respective  tongues. 

Four  fathers  of  the  Society,  who  had  accompanied 
him  through  various  parts  of  India,  testify  that, 
entering  Japan  with  little  or  no  knowledge  of  the 
language  spoken  there,  he  preached  nevertheless 
without  an  interpreter, — his  discourses  being  a 
compound  of  Portuguese,  Latin,  Spanish,  Indian, 
or  just  what  words  happened  to  cross  his  mind; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  34t 

and  yet  he  was  as  well  understood  by  his  audience 
as  if  he  addressed  each  one  in  the  language  of  his 
own  country : that  the  same  occurred  in  the  isle 
of  Moro,  and  at  the  coast  of  the  Fishery ; whilst 
at  the  Moluccas  he  spoke  that  barbarous  idiom  as 
fluently  as  he  did  Portuguese. 

In  the  kingdom  of  Travancor,  this  miracle  was 
so  notorious,  and  produced  such  wonderful  effects, 
that  could  he  have  remained  there  a short  time 
longer  (the  reader  will  remember  he  was  called 
away  by  the  distress  of  the  Paravans)  there  is  no 
doubt  the  whole  kingdom  would  have  been  brought 
over  to  the  faith. 

The  auditors  of  the  Pota  sensibly  remark  that 
certainly  these  innumerable  conversions  would 
not  have  resulted  had  the  circumstance  itself 
been  doubtful ; whereas,  the  truth  of  it  being  so 
clear,  and  the  miracle  so  stupendous,  the  people 
entertained  not  a doubt  of  it,  and  therefore  were 
convinced  that  the  doctrines  he  promulgated  could 
not  be  otherwise  than  true.  Much  more  to  the 
same  purpose  was  adduced  by  the  said  auditors, 
who,  after  referring  to  the  gift  of  tongues  im- 
parted to  the  immediate  disciples  of  our  Lord 
twelve  days  after  his  ascension  into  heaven,  thus 
conclude: — “ Since,  then,  the  gift  of  tongues  was 
conceded  to  the  apostles  and  to  the  preachers  of 
the  gospel,  in  order  to  be  used  to  the  advantage 
of  those  destined  to  be  converted  by  them,  so 
does  the  second  favor,  namely,  that  of  being 
understood  in  many  languages,  one  only  being 
spoken,  seem  equally  necessary,  in  order  to  be- 
nefit many  at  one  and  the  same  time;  for  if 
only  one  individual  understood  the  preacher,  he 


346 


THE  LIFE  OF 


being  unintelligible  to  all  the  rest,  they  would  thus 
be  left  in  ignorance.  Now,  as  Almighty  God  had 
sent  this  his  servant  for  the  salvation  of  the  East, 
as  he  endowed  him  with  the  other  virtues  of  the 
apostolate,  so  did  he,  no  doubt,  render  him  similar 
to  the  apostles  in  this  respect  as  in  all  the  rest.” 

But  to  return  to  Cangoxima.  After  studying 
for  forty  days,  as  we  have  already  stated,  and 
having  prepared  an  instruction  in  Japanese,  con- 
taining an  exposition  of  the  principal  mysteries  of 
religion,  he  thought  it  was  now  time  to  go  forth 
to  preach.  His  natural  affability,  and  his  many 
conspicuous  virtues,  had  already  secured  him  the 
respect  of  many  of  the  people : he  had  even  suc- 
ceeded in  gaining  the  good  will  of  some  of  the 
bonzes.  The  chief  of  them  in  point  of  authority, 
learning,  and  rank  conceived  a strong  affection 
for  our  saint : he  was  eighty  years  of  age,  their 
first  theologian,  and  deemed  so  wise  that  his  say- 
ings were  accepted  as  oracles:  they  had  given  him 
a title  far  better  suited  to  Almighty  God  Him- 
self, namely,  that  of  Ninsit,  a word,  according  to 
our  vocabulary,  implying  The  heart  of  truth.  Happy 
had  it  been  for  him,  as  Xavier  well  remarks,  could 
the  term  in  any  way  have  been  applicable  to  him  : 
far  removed  from  truth  indeed  he  was,  for  ho 
doubted  even  the  immortality  of  the  soul, — some- 
times inclined  to  affirm  and  at  others  to  deny  it. 
Much  did  the  saint  wish  that  he  who  was  called 
(so  undeservedly)  the  heart  of  truth  had  at  least 
been  blessed  with  the  ears  of  truth,  and  thus  have 
been  able  to  understand  the  teaching  of  the  truth; 
but,  notwithstanding  Xavier’s  zealous  endeavors, 
the  utmost  that  the  aged  bonze  would  admit  was 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


347 


that  his  opponent  was  wonderfully  well  versed  in 
the  affairs  of  nature,  and  could  discourse  on  them 
more  ably  than  any  other  man.  The  intimacy, 
however,  was  of  great  service  to  the  saint;  for 
as  this  Ninsit  held  supreme  authority  in  religious 
matters  at  Cangoxima,  his  extraordinary  regard 
for  and  frequent  intercourse  with  Xavier  secured 
him  the  civility  and  respect  of  the  inferior  bonzes, 
who  frequently  visited  him,  several  of  them  toge- 
ther, listening  to  him  with  admiration  and  sur- 
prise, acknowledging  that  the  motive  which  had 
induced  him  to  travel  from  the  farther  extremities 
of  the  globe  merely  to  teach  them  the  truth  must 
have  proceeded  from  God  alone,  it  was  so  com- 
pletely an  unheard-of  thing;  and  that  the  truths 
he  came  to  teach  must  be  great,  since  he  exposed 
himself  to  such  great  risks  in  order  to  their  pro- 
mulgation. 

As  the  Japanese  are  excessively  susceptible  on 
points  of  etiquette,  the  saint  deemed  it  prudent 
first  to  pay  a visit  to  the  king  and  ask  his  per- 
mission to  preach  the  gospel  and  for  his  subjects 
to  be  at  liberty  to  embrace  it.  He  chose  for  this 
purpose  the  festival  of  the  glorious  St.  Michael, 
whom  he  fervently  entreated  to  exert  his  power 
anew ; and  as  he  had  before  expelled  Lucifer  from 
heaven,  so  he  would  now  again  drive  him  from 
the  empire  of  Japan,  which  had  so  long  been  under 
his  dominion,  and  would  consign  him  anew  to  the 
chains  and  flames  of  his  own  fearful  territories. 

Xavier,  providing  himself  with  such  offerings  as 
his  poverty  admitted,  craved  an  audience  of  the 
king,  to  whom  he  was  already  known  by  reputa- 
tion Paul  of  the  holy  faith  had  fully  informed 


348 


THE  LIFE  OF 


him  who  and  what  he  was,  had  expatiated  on  his 
sanctity  and  learning,  on  the  respect  and  affection 
shown  him  by  the  Portuguese,  and  on  the  venera- 
tion in  which  he  was  held  throughout  many  of  the 
kingdoms  of  India. 

He  was  received  with  extraordinary  demonstra- 
tions of  benevolence,  and  was  much  gratified  by 
the  courtesy  of  the  prince.  Xavier  seems  to  have 
formed  great  hopes,  or  at  least  to  have  found  good 
ground  for  argument,  when  he  discovered  a white 
cross  in  the  armorial  bearings  of  the  reigning 
house.  He  inferred  therefrom  that  the  cross  had 
anciently  been  honored,  and  that  the  faith  had 
once  flourished,  in  Japan.  Now,  if  he  could  pos- 
sibly have  proved  this,  it  would  have  given  im- 
mense weight  to  his  teaching;  the  natives  would 
have  embraced  it  with  little  difficulty,  if  once  con- 
vinced that,  so  far  from  being  a novelty,  it  had 
really  been  the  religion  of  their  ancestors  and  was 
more  ancient  than  the  traditions  of  their  national 
camis.  But,  notwithstanding  all  his  diligent  re- 
searches, he  could  find  no  record  whereon  to  hang 
even  a probable  conjecture  that  Christianity  had 
ever  been  known  in  Japan. 

The  king  evinced  great  interest  in  all  he  heard 
from  the  holy  man,  whom  he  recommended  to 
take  great  care  of  the  books  and  writings  contain- 
ing the  secrets  of  the  Christian  religion ; because 
if  it  were  the  true  religion,  as  he  believed  it  was, 
the  devils  would,  no  doubt,  raise  a disturbance 
against  it,  and  try  to  destroy  every  thing  con- 
nected with  it.  And  in  this  he  spoke  like  a wise 
man, — though,  unfortunately,  he  would  not  turn 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAflER.  34§ 

bis  wisdom  to  good  account,  as  far  as  he  himself 
was  concerned  at  least. 

After  consulting  his  own  interests  as  to  what  he 
might  gain  by  acceding  to  or  refusing  the  request 
of  Xavier,  he  sent  an  officer  belonging  to  his  court 
to  inform  him  that  he  had  his  full  consent  to  pro- 
claim his  religion ; and  at  the  same  time  he  pub- 
lished an  edict  throughout  his  states,  authorizing 
any  of  his  subjects,  who  wished  it,  to  become 
Christians. 

He  was  induced  to  make  this  concession,  not 
from  regard  to  the  salvation  of  his  people,  but 
from  a hope  of  securing  the  commerce  of  Portu- 
gal ) because,  as  Xavier  was  so  much  beloved  by 
the  Portuguese,  if  he  remained  at  Cangoxima^and 
was  favored  there,  the  king  imagined  that  for  bis 
sake  the  Portuguese  merchant-ships  would  fre- 
quent his  ports,  and  that  he  should  thus  insure 
their  traffic,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  other  ports  of 
Japan. 

He  moreover  advised  the  saint  not  to  go  to 
Meaco,  as  he  was  intending,  because  the  season  for 
that  journey  was  now  past,  but  to  remain  where 
he  was,  and  preach  to  the  people  as  much  as  he 
pleased,  and  that  later,  when  peace  should  be 
restored  between  himself  and  a neighboring  sove- 
reign, he  would  forward  him  in  one  of  his  own 
ships. 

Thus  favored  by  the  king,  Xavier  made  his  ap- 
pearance in  public,  and  soon  found  himself  followed 
by  crowds,  attracted  by  that  innate  curiosity  so 
peculiar  to  the  Japanese,  especially  where  any 
novelty  connected  with  a future  state  is  in  ques- 
tion. As  they  listened  to  his  wonderful  relations 
so 


350 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  the  general  judg- 
ment, the  eternal  punishments  of  hell,  and  the 
eternal  beatitude  of  heaven,  they  became  most 
eager  to  learn  more  minute  details  and  to  pro- 
pose their  doubts  to  him  on  the  various  points 
he  touched  upon.  They  consequently  began  to 
assemble,  somewhat  in  the  style  of  an  academy, 
meeting  all  together  at  the  house  where  the  saint 
lodged.  Many  animated  discussions  took  place; 
for  never  before  had  they  heard  of  an  independent, 
infinite,  self-existing  Being,  the  first  and  universal 
cause  of  all  things.  The  prevailing  opinion  of 
Japan  had  been  that  the  world  itself  had  always 
existed;  still  less  had  they  any  idea  of  a governing 
Providence,  ruling  nature  and  directing  it  to  an 
end  so  far  superior  to  nature.  As  for  other  mys- 
teries still  more  profound,  such  as  of  the  Trinity,  of 
the  divinity,  incarnation,  and  death  of  our  Divine 
Lord,  of  the  spiritual  nature  of  the  soul,  of 
heavenly  beatitude  after  death,  and  other  similar 
things,  they  seemed  to  overwhelm  their  minds. 
And  as,  when  St.  Paul  preached  the  same  doctrines 
at  Athens,  truths  wdiich  never  before  had  reached  the 
ears  of  those  philosophizing  animals,  they  thought 
him  “ the  proclaimer  of  new  devils,”  so  now  did 
the  preaching  of  Xavier  appear  in  the  same  light 
to  the  people  of  Cangoxima.  Being,  as  we  have 
already  remarked,  of  penetrating  intellect,  they 
would  submit  every  thing  to  the  test  of  reason : 
nevertheless,  as  they  really  did  love  truth!,  they 
accepted  and  embraced  it  when  once  their  reason 
was  convinced. 

The  first  who  requested  baptism  was  a native  of 
Cangoxima,  a man  ill  provided  of  this  world's 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  351 

wealth,  but  rich  in  those  blessings  which  accrued 
to  him  as  being  the  first-born  of  the  Japanese 
Church.  He  received  the  name  of  Bernard  at  the 
sacred  font,  and  attained  to  a degree  of  high  per- 
fection. He  was  followed  by  several  others,  par- 
ticularly by  two  bonzes,  an  admirable  and  striking 
example,  not  only  on  account  of  their  profession, 
(such  persons  seldom  being  converted,)  but  still 
more  for  the  generous  zeal  with  which  they  en- 
deavored to  draw  others  after  them.  They  actually 
offered  to  go  to  Goa,  or,  if  necessary,  even  to 
Europe,  to  be  able  to  satisfy  the  Japanese,  on  their 
return,  of  the  truth  of  Xavier’s  statement, — viz., 
that  there  were  whole  kingdoms  professing  the 
Christian  religion,  with  the  splendor  and  magnifi- 
cence he  described. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  give  an  idea  of  the 
consolation  and  the  hopes  which  filled  the  soul 
of  our  saintly  preacher  as  he  contemplated  these 
precious  beginnings.  Unable  to  testify  his  grati- 
tude to  God  as  fully  as  he  wished,  he  wrote  to  his 
religious  brethren  at  Goa,  and  bade  them  share  his 
joy  and  help  him  to  render  due  thanks. 

It  is  inconceivable  how  he  can  have  borne  up 
against  his  unwearied  toils  at  this  time,  heavier 
now  than  they  had  ever  been  in  India:  to  these 
may  be  added  his  total  abstinence  from  flesh,  fish, 
and  wine.  His  food  consisted  of  vegetables  sea- 
soned with  a sprinkling  of  salt;  and  this  was  only 
taken  once  a day. 

Whenever  a few  minutes  of  time  remained,  either 
by  day  or  night,  he  spent  them  in  transposing  a 
copious  exposition  of  the  Apostles’  Creed  into 
Japanese,  which  he  was  in  hopes  of  getting  printed, 


352 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  then,  if  widely  circulated,  his  pen  would  preach 
in  places  where  he  himself  would  be  unable  to  ob- 
tain admission. 

To  supply  this  nascent  Church  with  efficient 
workmen,  he  wrote  again  from  Cangoxima  to  Goa, 
warning  the  fathers  there  to  hold  themselves  in 
readiness  for  the  voyage  to  Japan,  as  he  purposed 
calling  three  of  them  in  a very  short  time.  His 
letter,  though  consisting  of  several  sheets,  is  well 
worth  being  recorded:  we  shall  therefore  make 
copious  extracts  from  it,  because  it  is  full  of  spi- 
ritual secrets,  and  comprises  all  the  instruction  ne- 
cessary to  form  missionaries  of  a truly  apostolic 
stamp, — that  is  to  say,  men  who  should  be  saints  , 
themselves,  as  well  as  zealous  for  the  good  of 
others.  He  warns  them  not  to  let  themselves  be 
deceived  by  what,  to  the  inexperienced,  may  ap- 
pear real  virtues,  but  which  in  fact  have  nothing 
but  the  appearance  of  virtue  : therefore,  to  enrich 
themselves  for  great  undertakings  with  nothing 
more  solid  than  these  would  be  always  dangerous 
and  often  ruinous.  He  tells  them  not  to  trust  to 
a certain  sort  of  zeal  of  souls,  which  makes  us 
fancy  we  lose  our  time,  when  more  of  it  is  devoted 
to  the  acquiring  a spirit  of  mortification  than  to 
exterior  works  of  the  ministry.  Let  them  not 
fancy  themselves  fit  to  labor  in  the  midst  of  infidels 
just  because  they  sometimes  experience  a fim 
flame  of  zeal  in  a fit  of  fervor, — when  they  count 
as  nothing  storms  at  sea,  stratagems  of  enemies, 
perils  of  journeys,  sufferings,  and  prisons.  All  this 
seems  nothing  as  long  as  it  is  remote  and  exists 
only  in  the  zealot’s  imagination.  Fictitious  virtue 
may  work  wonders  against  fictitious  enemies  -f  but 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  353 

when  we  cjme  to  realities  we  find  a wide  difference 
between  fancying  danger  and  encountering  it.  He 
gave  them  to  understand  that  if  one  of  them,  or 
even  if  two  together,  happened  to  find  themselves 
in  a strange  country,  knowing  little  or  nothing  of 
the  language,  surrounded  by  suspicious  eyes,  looked 
upon  as  savages,  refused  a shelter,  and  perhaps  in 
constant  risk  of  death,  they  would  be  liable  to 
temptations  they  had  little  dreamt  of:  the  empty 
bubbles  of  spirituality  would  be  of  no  service  to  them 
here.  Let  them,  therefore,  lay  in  a stock  of  solid 
virtues,  such  as  humility,  patience,  union  with  God, 
purity  of  soul,  obedience,  and,  above  all,  a per- 
petual abnegation  and  renunciation  of  self;  and 
let  them  remember  that  he  who  has  not  courage 
to  overcome  himself  in  small  things  will  have  still 
less  courage  to  confront  great  ones.  Let  them  not 
reason  in  this  style  : — “ If  God  favors  and  consoles 
me  so  much,  now  that  I am  attending  only  to  my- 
self, what  will  he  not  do  for  me  when  I am  trying 
to  gain  the  souls  of  infidels  ?”  Such  persons  may 
convince  themselves  that  they  will  then  meet  with 
as  many  occasions  of  losing  themselves  as  of  gain- 
ing others.  ...  If  they  hoped  to  do  much  good 
in  others,  they  must  first  be  good  themselves ; and 
he  reminded  them  that  there  were  some  in  hell 
who  had  put  many  souls  into  heaven.  What  then 
would  it  profit  them  to  gain  the  whole  world,  if 
they  lost  their  own  souls?  He  encouraged  them, 
however,  not  to  be  desponding,  or  to  lose  heart, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  to  endeavor  earnestly  to 
acquire  those  virtues,  without  which  it  would  be 
vain  to  hope  for  a happy  issue  to  the  good  begun ; 
and,  for  this  purpose,  let  them  study  to  know 
X 30* 


354 


THE  LIFE  OF 


themselves;  and  then,  far  from  presuming  on 
themselves,  they  will  place  all  their  confidence  in 
God,  who  replenishes  with  himself  and  with  his 
gifts  those  whom  he  finds  empty  of  self-esteem  and 
self  love;  and  this,  because  he  will  not  allow  that 
which  is  the  work  of  his  mercy  and  omnipotence 
to  be  attributed  to  any  other  cause  than  to  him- 
self. 

Such  is  the  summary  of  the  saint’s  letter  of 
advice  to  the  fathers  of  Goa;  and  he  desired  that 
copies  of  it  should  be  taken  and  sent  to  all  the 
other  fathers  who  were  dispersed  about  in  the  dif- 
ferent kingdoms  of  the  Indies.  It  would  seem 
surprising  that  he  who  wrote  such  pressing  letters 
to  the  King  of  Portugal,  to  St.  Ignatius  at  Rome, 
to  Father  Rodriguez  at  Lisbon,  and  to  other  parts 
of  Europe,  so  earnestly  entreating  them  to  send 
more  missionaries,  where  souls  were  actually 
perishing  from  sheer  want  of  them,  should  never- 
theless proceed  so  cautiously  in  summoning  his  own 
subjects  from  Goa,  and  should  make  them  employ 
so  much  time  upon  their  own  perfection.  As  I 
say,  at  first  sight  this  may  appear  strange,  but  not 
to  those  who  understand  true  spirituality,  and  who 
know  how  deep  a fund  of  virtue  is  required  in  men 
called  to  so  arduous  an  apostolate  as  that  of  the 
Indian  missions.  He  was  the  superior  of  the 
Society  in  the  East,  and,  as  such,  gave  a sketch  of 
what  those  workmen  ought  to  be  who  intended  to 
labor  there  ; and  no  one  understood  what  was  due 
to  their  vocation  better  than  himself, — viz.,  that, 
though  it  was  their  duty  to  do  much  for  the 
salvation  of  others,  they  were  bound  to  do  quite  as 
much  for  their  own  perfection.  Besides,  with 


■ 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


855 


respect  to  laboring  for  the  benefit  of  one’s  neighbor, 
it  is  certain  that  God,  in  whose  hands  men  are  but 
instruments,  concurs  to  the  general  good  all  the 
more  largely,  in  proportion  as  he  finds  the  said 
men  more  closely  united  to  himself  by  sanctity  of 
life  and  by  the  virtues  adapted  to  so  exalted  a 
ministry.  And  hence  it  is  that  the  holy  self-hatred 
which  we  find  in  good  evangelical  laborers,  their 
perfect  obedience,  and  other  virtues,  turn  to  the 
advantage  of  those  for  whom  they  labor. 

In  the  mean  time,  religion  was  rising  in  public 
estimation  and  in  numbers  far  beyond  the  pur- 
pose of  the  devil  and  the  bonzes.  The  latter  began 
to  open  their  eyes  to  their  own  interests,  perceiving 
that,  if  the  new  religion  took  root  in  Japan,  their 
idols  and  mysteries  would  be  treated  as  fables,  and 
themselves  be  deprived  of  the  contributions  which 
maintained  and  enriched  them.  They  entered  into 
a conspiracy  to  arrest  his  further  progress,  and 
strove  to  rival  each  other  in  their  invectives 
against  Christianity, — preaching  against  it,  and 
threatening  the  people  with  the  vengeance  of  the 
gods,  urging  them  to  rise  in  tumult  to  expel  the 
fathers  from  the  place  and  drive  them  back  to  the 
Indies  from  whence  they  came.  The  bonzes,  how- 
ever, did  not  succeed  exactly  as  they  expected; 
for  to  men  so  naturally  keen  as  the  Japanese  the 
virtue  and  the  truth  which  shone  forth  both  in  the 
conduct  and  teaching  of  Xavier  and  his  associates 
prevailed  over  the  calumnies  and  passionate  abuse 
of  their  opponents.  There  were  not  wanting  those 
who  openly  reproved  them,  and  who  inquired  how 
it  was  that  they,  so  powerful  in  numbers,  influ- 
ence, and  learning,  could  not  convict  two  or  three 


356 


THE  LIFE  OF 


poor  foreigners  of  deceit  and  fraud,  if  they  really 
were  the  impostors  the  bonzes  pretended.  Why 
did  they  shun  disputation  with  men  who  were 
ready  to  meet  them  whenever  they  pleased  ? why 
did  they  not  rather  defy  them  ? why  not  convince 
them  by  argument,  instead  of  having  recourse  to 
violence  ? 

Not  unfrequently,  when  the  saint  was  preaching 
to  crowds  in  some  public  place,  a bonze  more  in- 
solent than  the  rest  would  interrupt  him,  and  ad- 
monish the  people  not  to  listen  to  that  European, 
who  was  not  a man,  though  he  bore  the  semblance 
of  one : on  the  contrary,  he  was  a devil  in  human 
form.  Hereupon  the  assembly  would  cry  out, 
“ Whatever  he  may  be,  man  or  devil,  matters  not 
to  us  : let  him  but  teach  us  the  truth,  and  we  will 
accept  and  embrace  it,  come  whence  it  may.” 

To  illustrate  the  virtue  of  his  servant,  and  to 
confound  the  malice  of  the  bonzes,  Almighty  God 
was  pleased  again  to  work  many  miracles  by  his 
means,  to  the  astonishment  and  admiration  of  the 
Japanese.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  was  that 
of  rendering  the  sea  rich  and  prolific  at  a period 
of  great  scarcity ; and,  as  fish  forms  a principal 
part  of  the  sustenance  of  these  people,  the  want 
of  it  had  reduced  them  to  very  great  distress. 
The  saint  happened  to  fall  in  with  some  fishermen 
just  as  they  were  landing  their  nets  with  little  or 
nothing  in  them,  as  had  been  the  case  for  some 
time  past.  He  was  moved  to  compassion  by  the 
sight  of  their  disappointed  hopes,  and,  after  recol- 
lecting himself  in  prayer  for  a moment  or  two,  he 
blessed  the  nets  and  bade  them  again  launch  forth 
into  the  sea.  Trusting  to  his  word,  (for  they  already 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  357 

looked  on  him  as  a wonderful  rnan,)  they  obeyed, 
and  to  their  own  advantage;  for  they  hauled  Up 
such  a draught  of  almost  every  description  of  fish, 
that  they  were  scarcely  able  to  drag  their  nets  to 
land  : moreover,  from  thenceforward  that  sea  be- 
came more  abundant  than  it  bad  ever  before  been 
known. 

A mother  brought  and  placed  before  him  her 
little  babe,  all  over  inflammation,  and  swollen  to 
a frightful  size,  the  consequence  of  some  malignant 
and  incurable  humor.  The  disconsolate  mother 
saw  that  no  words  of  hers  were  needed.  The 
sight  of  the  poor  infant  excited  his  compassion  : 
he  raised  it  up  in  his  arms,  looked  tenderly  upon 
it,  and  repeated  these  words  two  or  three  times  : — 
“ God  bless  thee’/’  This  was  quite  enough:  our 
Lord  in  heaven  confirmed  the  blessing:  the  swell- 
ing instantly  disappeared,  and  he  returned  the 
child  to  its  mother  perfectly  cured.  These  or 
other  similar  miracles  reached  the  knowledge  of 
a leper  who  was  a gentile,  who,  despairing  of  cure 
by  medicinal  means,  (for  every  remedy  had  been 
unsuccessfully  tried,)  thought  of  having  recourse 
to  our  saint, — God  no  doubt  inspiring  the  idea,  in 
order  to  cure  both  his  soul  and  body.  He  sent  a 
messenger  to  beg  the  holy  man  would  go  and  heal 
him:  he  was  engaged  at  the  moment  in  some 
public  duty,  which  prevented  him  from  going;  but 
he  sent  one  of  his  companions  in  his  stead,  desiring 
him  to  ask  the  sick  man  thrice  whether  he  would 
embrace  the  law  of  Christ  in  the  event  of  his 
health  being  restored;  and,  if  he  invariably  an- 
swered affirmatively,  he  was  to  make  the  sign  of 
the  cross  over  him, — when  he  would  be  cured; 


858 


THE  LIFE  OF 


after  which  he  was  to  instruct  and  baptize  him. 
Every  thing  happened  as  was  desired  : the  ques- 
tion was  thrice  proposed,  the  leper  promised,  was 
blessed,  and  immediately  all  the  scurf  and  scabs 
fell  off  him,  and  his  flesh  became  as  sound  and 
clean  as  it  was  before  the  leprosy  attacked  him. 
The  miracle  was  evident;  and  the  man,  faithful 
to  his  promise,  demanded  baptism. 

More  illustrious  than  all  the  rest,  the  following 
astounding  case  raised  the  faith  high  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  natives.  A beautiful  young  damsel 
died : she  was  the  daughter  of  an  old  gentile,  one 
of  the  richest  noblemen  of  the  country.  He  had 
loved  her  as  he  loved  his  own  life,  and  her  death 
threw  him  into  a state  of  frenzied  grief,  which  ex- 
cited the  compassion  of  all  who  saw  him.  Among 
the  many  friends  who  endeavored  to  console  him 
were  two  Christians  recently  converted,  who, 
knowing  the  wonderful  deeds  of  Father  Francis 
Xavier,  advised  him  to  have  recourse  to  him,  tell- 
ing him  that  he  might  place  full  confidence  in  the 
prayers  of  such  a man,  who,  if  he  only  asked  it, 
could  restore  the  young  lady  to  life.  The  be- 
reaved father  felt  cheered  by  the  mere  hope  of 
such  a thing,  and,  escorted  by  his  two  friends,  re- 
paired to  the  saint,  and,  prostrating  himself  at  his 
feet,  by  tears  rather  than  by  words  besought  him 
to  intercede  for  him  with  Almighty  God,  that  he 
would  deign  to  restore  his  only  daughter  to  life, 
assuring  him  that  by  doing  this  he  would  also  be 
giving  life  to  himself,  for  without  her  he  must  die 
of  sheer  grief.  The  saint  was  deeply  affected  as 
he  beheld  the  streaming  eyes  of  the  poor  man  : he 
withdrew  with  Brother  John  Fernandez  to  pray; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


359 


and  after  a short  prajmr,  turning  to  him,  he  said, 
u Go  and  assure  the  father  that  his  daughter  lives. ” 
When  he  saw  the  two  retire,  he  imagined  they 
were  gone  to  prepare  themselves  to  accompany 
him  home  to  weep  over  the  deceased ; but  when 
the  young  brother  returned  and  said  nothing  more 
than  that  she  was  alive,  he  thought  himself  slighted, 
and,  full  of  ire  and  anguish,  he  turned  and  went 
away.  When  he  had  nearly  reached  home,  he  per- 
ceived one  of  his  servants  hastening  to  meet  him 
with  a very  cheerful  countenance,  who,  screaming 
out  at  the  distance  where  he  was,  bade  him  hurry 
home,  because  his  daughter  had  returned  to  life, 
and  not  only  to  life,  but  to  perfect  health.  He  was 
soon  convinced  of  the  truth,  for  on  reaching  his 
own  door  the  child  herself  came  forth  to  greet 
him.  The  aged  man  was  so  completely  overcome 
by  his  excessive  joy  that  he  all-but  died  under  it : 
he  wept  and  laughed  and  embraced  her  by  turns, 
and  at  length,  when  sufficiently  recovered,  he 
asked  her  what  had  befallen  her.  She  told  that, 
immediately  she  expired,  two  horrible  executioners 
' seized  her  and  led  her  to  the  brink  of  a deep  pit 
I full  of  fire;  that  they  were  on  the  point  of  flinging 
her  into  the  flames,  when  two  strangers,  utterly 
unknown  to  her,  men  of  venerable  aspect,  re- 
proached the  ruffians,  released  her  from  their  grasp, 
and  restored  her  to  life  and  health,  though  she 
knew  not  how.  The  father  well  understood  who 
were  the  two  deliverers,  and  accordingly  took  her 
to  return  due  thanks  to  Xavier.  No  sooner  did 
she  cast  her  eyes  on  him  and  Brother  Fernandez, 
than  she  turned  to  her  father  and  exclaimed, 
“ Those  are  the  very  two  who  saved  me  from  the 


360 


THE  LIFE  OF 


flames  and  rescued  me  from  death.”  Without  a 
moment’s  hesitation,  the  father  and  daughter  simul- 
taneously demanded  baptism;  and  they,  with  all 
their  relatives  and  domestics,  were  instructed  in 
the  faith  and  became  Christians. 

These,  and  other  wonderful  works,  never  before 
witnessed  in  Japan,  made  them  look  upon  our  holy 
apostle  as  an  incomparable  man,  able  to  obtain 
whatever  he  asked  of  God, — an  opinion  which 
was  confirmed  by  the  sudden  chastisement  of  a 
certain  abusive  fellow  who  ventured  to  insult  him. 
Whether  he  acted  at  the  instigation  of  the  bonzes, 
or  from  his  own  innate  malice,  is  not  stated  : at 
all  events,  he  paid  dearly  for  his  insolence.  The 
saint  listened  to  him  with  imperturbable  serenity 
of  soul  and  countenance,  and  was  on  the  point  of 
thanking  him  very  humbly,  when  God  revealed  to 
him  that  he  intended  to  punish  him,  as  a warning 
and  example  to  others,  to  teach  them  to  respect 
his  ministers,  by  the  penalty  inflicted  on  one  who 
dared  to  vilify  him.  Xavier  looked  calmly  yet 
compassionately  at  him,  and  said,  “ May  God  pre- 
serve thy  mouth  !”  He  had  scarcely  uttered  the 
words  when  a terrible  cancerous  wound  filled  his 
whole  mouth ; putrid  matter  and  worms  issued 
from  it;  whilst  an  intolerable  stench  was  per- 
ceptible to  all.  This  chastisement  seems  to  have 
been  intended  as  a warning  to  the  bonzes,  and  to 
open  their  eyes  to  the  truth  ; but,  instead  of  this, 
emboldened  by  their  numbers,  they  became  worse 
than  ever.  Their  present  rage  was  materially  in- 
creased by  the  conversion  and  solemn  baptism  of 
a noble  matron,  soon  followed  by  that  of  all  her 
family.  Since,  then,  neither  their  public  denuncia- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  361 

tions  from  the  pulpit,  nor  their  private  threats, 
could  deter  him  from  pursuing  his  apostolic  career, 
they  entered  upon  another  line  of  action.  They 
engaged  a set  of  miscreants  to  annoy  him  night 
and  day:  violent  noises  round  about  his  house, 
stones  hurled  at  and  into  it,  in  a word,  whatever 
could  create  disturbance,  was  resorted  to,  in  hopes 
of  driving  him  away  from  Cangoxima;  but,  all 
their  schemes  proving  ineffectual  against  his  un- 
alterable patience  and  courage,  they  resolved  to 
carry  their  complaints  to  the  king,  in  the  name  of 
all  the  Japanese  divinities.  Having  matured  their 
plan,  they  selected  a certain  number  of  the  most 
authoritative  and  influential  of  their  body,  who, 
demanding  an  audience  of  the  sovereign,  told  him, 
in  terms  more  menacing  than  supplicatory,  that 
they  were  sent  to  him  by  Amida  and  Shacca,  and 
by  the  whole  choir  of  the  ancient  national  deities 
of  Japan,  to  ask  him  what  part  of  the  world  he 
meant  to  banish  them  to,  seeing  that  he  was  igno- 
miniously  expelling  them  from  his  and  their  do- 
minions, to  give  place  to  a foreign  God,  who  would 
admit  no  other  to  share  divine  honor  with  him. 
They  next  addressed  the  king  in  these  bold  terms : 
— “What  are  you,  a laic  and  a profane  man, 
that  you  should  dare  to  make  yourself  the  arbiter 
of  religious  disputes  and  the  judge  of  the  gods  ? 
How  dare  you  exterminate  your  own  gods  and 
admit  others?  Are  all  our  learned  academies 
blind?  and  is  the  piety  of  the  Japanese  nation 
entirely  mistaken  ? Who  has  authorized  you  to 
give  us  another  religion  and  other  gods  ? What 
will  future  ages  say  of  you,  if  you,  the  King  of 
Saxuma,  become  so  ungrateful  as  to  dri™  \mida 
31 


THE  LIFE  OF 


362 

and  Shacca  (who  placed  you  on  the  throne)  from 
your  kingdom,  and  deprive  them  of  their  temples, 
honor,  and  worship,  which,  as  the  legitimate  dei- 
ties of  .Japan,  have  from  time  immemorial  belonged 
to  them?  Will  the  neighboring  people  tolerate 
such  a step?  Will  your  own  subjects  allow  it? 
Do  you  not  expect  that  they  will  rise  up  in  arms 
and  deprive  you  of  your  kingdom,  in  order  to 
restore  the  gods  whom  you  are  so  ignominiously 
dismissing?"  Some  writers  affirm  that  the  king 
was  indignant  at  these  sharp  reproaches  of  the 
bonzes,  and  that  he  answered  them  with  equal 
warmth  and  haughtiness;  but,  in  truth,  such  was 
not  the  case.  Xavier  himself  tells  us  that  he  im- 
mediately gave  up,  and  alleges  as  the  reason  that 
the  king  himself  never  cared  about  the  Christian 
religion;  and  when  he  consented  to  the  saint’s 
preaching  it,  and  to  his  people  adopting  it,  he  only 
did  so  in  order  to  secure  the  commerce  and  favor 
of  the  Portuguese;  but,  hearing  soon  afterward 
that  they  had  given  the  preference  to  a port  of 
Firando,  whose  king  was  his  implacable  enemy, 
he  was  not  unwilling  to  gratify  the  ambition  and 
self-interest  of  the  bonzes  at  the  expense  of  our 
saint  and  of  the  new  Christians.  He  loudly  com- 
plained to  Xavier  of  having  been  so  ill  requited 
by  the  Portuguese,  for  the  acquisition  of  whose 
friendship  he  had  shown  so  much  favor  to  the 
saint.  He  next  published  an  edict  peremptorily 
forbidding  his  subjects  from  forsaking  the  ancient 
creed  of  Japan  for  the  new  religion  of  the  Euro- 
pean bonze.  This  blow  annihilated  the  effects  of 
all  Xavier’s  recent  labors.  The  crowds  who  had 
before  followed  him  when  he  preached  now  for 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


303 


ll 

at  ! 

an 

t’a 


) the 
torily  jll 
iciest  » 
Euro-  1 

■Ct8  Of 
|0 


sook  him,  terrified  and  dismayed  by  the  threats 
of  the  king;  and  he  was  left  as  it  were  alone  in 
his  own  lodging.  A small  number,  amounting  to 
about  a hundred,  who  were  already  baptized, 
proved  that  they  were  indeed  predestinated  by 
God,  and  stood  firm  against  every  threat,  whether 
of  exile  or  death,  offering  themselves  to  the  saint 
for  whatever  he  might  require  of  them ; and  he, 
who  always  looked  more  to  the  quality  than  to  the 
quantity  of  his  converts,  led  them  onward  in  the 
knowledge  of  God  aqd  in  the  exercise  of  those 
exalted  virtues  befitting  their  vocation.  At  stated 
hours  they  daily  assembled  around  their  saintly 
master,  to  receive  from  him  new  lessons  of  religion 
and  piety.  It  was  for  them  that  he  transposed 
into  the  Japanese  tongue  several  parts  of  Holy 
Scripture,  and  certain  devout  compositions  of  his 
own, — particularly  the  whole  narrative  of  the  life 
of  our  divine  Redeemer,  from  which  he  read  and 
explained  now  one  and  now  another  of  the  mys- 
teries, something  in  the  style  of  a quiet  medita- 
tion ; wherein  the  heart  was  touched  by  God,  and 
was  inflamed  with  his  holy  love,  whilst  tears  of 
sweet  devotion  bedewed  the  face. 

So  firmly  rooted  were  the  germs  of  Christian 
faith  and  piety  in  the  souls  of  these  his  first-born 
of  the  Japanese  Church,  that  many  years  after- 
ward, though  they  had  been  left  without  further 
cultivation,  the  same  impressions  of  virtue  which 
had  been  stamped  by  the  hand  of  our  holy  apostle 
still  remained,  not  only  unobliterated,  but  even 
more  strongly  marked  and  developed.  It  is  true,  the 
favor  and  example  of  Paul  of  the  holy  faith  con- 
tributed much  to  this  desirable  effect  at  first.  Xa 


364 


THE  LIFE  OF 


vier,  at  his  departure,  committed  the  care  of  the 
little  flock  to  this  fervent  neophyte, — who  no  doubt 
would  in  process  of  time  have  increased  its  num- 
bers, had  not  our  Lord  seen  fit  to  call  him  .to  him- 
self in  less  than  six  month's  after  the  departure  of 
our  saint. 

Heart-rending  were  the  lamentations  of  the  faith- 
ful little  troop  when  Xavier  took  leave  of  them, 
just  one  year  after  his  arrival  among  them.  Most 
gratefully  did  they  thank  him,  and  with  reason, 
for  having  travelled  from  a distant  world,  at  the 
risk  of  his  life,  to  illuminate  their  darkness  with 
the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  to  withdraw  them  from 
hell,  whither  they  were  hastening,  and  to  place 
them  in  the  secure  path  of  everlasting  salvation. 

He  and  his  two  companions,  Cosmo  Torres  and 
John  Fernandez,  quitted  Cangoxima  at  the  be- 
ginning of  September,  1550;  and,  as  it  might  ap- 
pear that  the  harvest  collected  here  was  unequal 
to  the  toils  of  the  sowing-season,  our  Lord  was 
pleased  to  remunerate  him  where  and  when  he 
little  expected  it.  The  fame  of  his  virtue  and 
wonderful  works  spread  through  the  neighboring 
states,  and  had  reached  a certain  fortress  not  far  J 
from  the  road  leading  to  Firando,  about  eighteen  ; 
miles  from  Cangoxima,  and  the  property  of  one 
of  the  chief  vassals  of  the  said  King  of  Saxuma. 

He  arrived  there  a stranger,  yet  not  unknown;  J 
and  an  amicable  contest  arose  among  the  inhabit- 
ants as  to  who  should  have  the  happiness  of  lodging 
him.  This  rocky  fortress  is  certainly  one  of  the 
wonders  of  the  world.  The  natural  position  of 
the  buildings  is  as  remarkable  as  the  workman- 
ship of  them  is  solid  and  durable.  It  is  planted 

i 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


365 


oil,  or,  as  we  should  rather  say,  it  springs  from, 
the  summit  of  a mountain-rock,  surrounded  by  a 
girdle  of  steep  rooks,  and  is  accessible  only  by  one 
narrow  path;  so  that  it  may  be  called  impregnable. 
The  buildings  are  not  composed  of  stone  and  mor- 
tar : they  have  been  entirely  chiselled  in  the  rock 
itself.  A deep,  wide  ditch  receives  the  walls  which 
enclose  the  fortress : they  are  built  of  very  hard 
stone,  and  show  great  boldness  of  design  in  the 
artist.  The  rest  of  the  arrangements  connected 
with  this  singular  pile  of  rock-work  correspond 
with  its  natural  site,  and  with  the  object  for  which 
it  is  intended, — namely,  to  serve  as  a protection 
to  the  country  it  belongs  to.  There  is  a royal 
palace,  with  all  that  is  requisite  or  desirable  both 
for  use  and  ornament.  This  famous  castle  belonged 
to  a nobleman  named  Essiandono,  and  was  held  in 
his  name  at  the  time  our  saint  visited  it.  Availing 
himself  of  the  courtesy  of  his  hosts,  he  at  once 
began  to  discourse  on  the  true  faith  and  of  eternal 
salvation.  The  whole  family  of  the  Tono  (as  the 
lords  of  those  places  are  called)  assembled  to  hear 
him,  and  so  did  all  the  soldiers  then  in  the  fortress. 
So  forcible  were  his  reasonings,  so  clearly  did  he 
unfold  God’s  truths,  and  so  great  was  the  influence 
of  his  virtues,  that  in  a few  days’  time  many  were 
heard  to  deplore  the  spiritual  blindness  in  which 
they  had  hitherto  lived,  and  seventeen  of  them  at 
once  requested  baptism,  to  the  inconceivable  de- 
light of  Xavier,  who  administered  the  sacrament 
himself,  after  duly  instructing  them ; and  no  doubt 
every  inhabitant  of  that  fortress  would  have  been 
converted,  if  Essiandono  had  but  given  the  ex- 
ample, which  at  first  seemed  highly  probable : he 


366 


THE  LIFE  OF 


was  deterred  by  the  recent  edict  of  the  king: 
nevertheless,  he  gave  full  license  to  all  his  re- 
tainers to  become  Christians  if  they  chose.  His 
wife  and  eldest  son,  a child  four  years  of  age, 
were  baptized ; and  he  promised  that  if  his  sove- 
reign ever  revoked  his  prohibitory  edict  he  would 
himself  embrace  the  faith. 

Among  these  converts  was  the  major-domo  of  the 
Tono,  a man  mature  alike  in  age  and  judgment. 
Xavier  appointed  him  to  be  master  and  teacher  of 
this  Christian  flock,  and  at  his  departure  gave  him 
in  writing  the  form  of  baptism,  an  explanation  of 
the  principal  mysteries  of  faith,  an  abstract  of  the 
life  of  Christ,  the  seven  penitential  psalms,  the 
litany  of  the  saints,  and  a calendar  of  the  fixed 
and  of  the  movable  festivals, — all  in  the  Japanese 
language.  He  then  selected  one  of  the  rooms  in 
the  palace  to  serve  as  a chapel,  desiring  that  all 
the  Christians  (and  as  many  gentiles  as  they  could 
persuade)  should  assemble  here  every  Sunday, 
when  the  major-domo  was  to  read  aloud  some  por- 
tion of  the  catechism  after  the  ordinary  prayers : 
on  Friday  they  were  to  sing  the  seven  penitential 
psalms,  and  the  litanies  every  day.  Having  sown 
these  seeds  of  faith  and  piety  on  the  rock  of 
Essiandono,  he  took  his  departure  in  the  direction 
of  Firando : and  truly  did  the  seed  fall  on  a good 
soil,  yielding  fruit  of  heavenly  benediction:  the 
zeal  and  example  of  the  fervent  Christian  whom 
he  placed  over  the  rest  multiplied  the  number, 
together  with  the  piety,  of  the  little  troop.  Thir- 
teen years  afterward,  when  Father  Lewis  Almeida 
passed  that  wTay,  he  found  more  than  a hundred 
Christians,  so  exact  and  perfect  in  the  fulfilment 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  367 

of  their  spiritual  duties  that  the  fortress  had  more 
the  appearance  of  a monastery  full  of  religious 
men  than  of  a garrison  of  soldiers:  it  was  a beauti- 
ful copy,  in  miniature,  of  the  primitive  Church 
though  without  any  other  instructor  than  the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  reigned  as  master  in  the  hearts  of  these 
new  disciples  of  the  faith.  Their  innocence  of  life, 
their  assiduity  in  prayer,  their  mutual  union  and 
spirit  of  precious  charity,  the  use  of  public  pe- 
nances, which  regularly  took  place  in  memory  of 
the  passion  of  Jesus  Christ  and  in  expiation  of 
their  faults,  made  this  little  church  an  object  of 
God’s  special  complacency.  The  Tono  himself, 
though  still  a gentile,  was  foremost  in  all  their 
public  devotions;  and  the  two  children  born  to 
him  since  the  visit  of  our  saint  had  also  been  given 
to  the  font.  As  for  the  rest,  there  were  five  acting 
as  teachers  to  the  others,  one  of  whom  was  a man 
of  fine  mind.  From  the  manuscripts  left  by  Xa- 
vier he  had  drawn  materials  for  composing  a work 
in  his  native  tongue,  in  which  he  had  beautifully 
arranged  the  whole  history  of  man’s  redemption, 
beginning  with  the  fall  of  the  rebel  angels  and  of 
Adam,  going  through  the  mysteries  of  the  Incar- 
nation and  life  of  our  divine  Lord,  to  the  descent 
of  the  Holy  Ghost, — a work  which  so  pleased 
Brother  Almeida  that  he  took  a copy  of  it  for  the 
Christians  of  Bungo.  The  fervent  author  of  this 
little  book  was  once  asked  what  answer  he  would 
give  his  king  if  he  desired  him  to  renounce  his 
faith.  To  which  he  resolutely  answered,  “I  would 
say  to  him,  My  lord,  if  it  be  your  wish  to  have 
me,  your  vassal,  loyal  to  your  crown,  faithful  to 
your  interests,  ready  to  defend  you  with  my  life, 


368 


THE  LIFE  OF 


rendering  due  justice  unto  all,  being  respectful  to 
my  superiors,  modest  to  my  equals,  compassionate 
to  my  inferiors, — then,  I say,  command  me  to  be  a 
Christian;  for  his  profession,  as  such,  obliges  him 
to  virtue.  Should  I cease  to  be  a Christian,  I be- 
come at  once  as  disloyal  and  offensive  to  God,  to 
you,  to  every  one  else,  and  to  myself,  as  I should 
be  treacherous  and  malicious.” 

Having  related  what  the  saint  effected  during 
his  brief  sojourn  on  the  rock  of  Essiandono,  we 
must  add  the  further  effects  of  tw^o  little  poverty- 
gifts  which  at  his  departure  he  left, — the  one  to 
the  Tono’s  wife,  and  the  other  to  the  aged  major- 
domo,  who  was  to  replace  him  in  taking  charge  of 
the  little  flock. 

To  her  he  gave  a little  old  purse,  containing  only 
the  Litanies  and  a few  other  prayers,  all  in  his 
own  handwriting.  Valueless  as  such  a gift  might 
appear  to  worldly  eyes,  the  pious  matron  prized  it 
more  than  the  richest  of  treasures;  for,  from  the 
slight  experience  she  had  of  the  holy  man’s  virtue 
and  power,  she  suspected  that  for  his  sake  God 
would  impart  some  special  efficacy  to  things  that 
had  belonged  to  him.  Nor  was  she  mistaken  ; for 
on  applying  the  said  purse  to  any  of  the  sick, 
they  were  always  miraculously  restored  to  health. 
Neither  was  the  favor  confined  to  the  small  num- 
ber of  Christians  there : the  pagans  shared  it 
equally, — among  others,  the  lord  of  the  fortress, 
who,  when  senseless  and  in  the  agony  of  death, 
was  touched  with  the  relic  and  was  immediately 
Cured. 

The  other  present  given  by  Xavier  to  the  worthy 
Did  gentlemen  before  named  was  his  own  discipline; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  369 

and  this  was  used  by  the  Christians  for  two  very 
different  purposes.  The  one  was,  working  miracles 
in  behalf  of  the  sick,  many  of  whom  benefited  in 
this  way, — among  others,  the  wife  of  the  Tono, 
who,  lying  at  the  last  gasp,  was  blessed  with  this 
discipline,  by  making  the  sign  of  the  cross  upon 
her,  when  she  rose  up  in  full  health.  The  other 
purpose  to  which  the  discipline  was  applied  was 
penitential.  Every  Friday  these  fervent  neophytes 
assembled  to  use  the  discipline,  till  the  good  old 
man,  finding  it  begin  to  wear  out,  became  more 
sparing  of  it,  and  made  other  disciplines,  after 
using  which,  he  drew  forth  that  of  the  saint, 
which  passed  from  hand  to  hand,  no  one  being 
allowed  to  inflict  more  than  three  strokes  on  him- 
self with  it,  lest  it  should  be  quite  destroyed. 

By  these  and  other  similar  means,  the  memory 
of  Father  Francis  Xavier  was  perpetuated  in  the 
fortress  of  the  rock:  his  virtues  were  honored, 
and  his  zeal  rendered  efficacious;  so  that,  absent 
as  he  was,  he  may  still  be  said  to  have  drawn  those 
gentiles  to  the  faith,  and  to  have  sustained  and  in- 
creased the  grace  of  baptism  in  those  to  whom  he 
had  administered  it. 

No  wonder  that,  years  afterward,  when  another 
member  of  the  Society  called  at  this  place,  he 
should  have  been  instantly  surrounded  by  these 
good  people,  who  eagerly  inquired  about  their 
saintly  father  and  whether  there  was  any  chance 
of  seeing  him  again. 

On  quitting  this  splendid  fortress,  our  apostle 
took  the  path  to  Firando,  sowing  the  seeds  of 
Christianity  through  all  the  villages  as  he  passed ; 

and  though,  unfortunately,  so  few  records  have 
Y 


370 


THE  LIFE  OF 


been  preserved  of*  many  of  his  journeys,  especially 
of  this  one,  we  do  know  that  he  gathered  much 
fruit  in  the  territory  of  Canadab,  situated  about 
thirteen  leagues  from  Cangoxima.  Our  informa- 
tion was  obtained  in  the  following  manner : — 

A father  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  sent  to  the 
kingdom  of  Saxuma,  called  at  CanadaJb  on  his  way, 
and  found  that  St.  Francis  Xavier  was  still  remem- 
bered and  was  affectionately  spoken  of,  although 
fifty-five  years  had  elapsed  since  he  had  instructed 
and  preached  to  these  people,  whom  he  had 
thoroughly  imbued  with  that  spirit  so  peculiar  to 
the  churches  which  he  founded.  The  father  had 
the  satisfaction  of  finding  still  living  the  daughter 
of  the  sovereign  who  ruled  when  Xavier  was  there. 
This  aged  princess  had,  in  early  life,  consecrated 
herself  wholly  to  God,  soon  after  her  baptism, 
conferred  by  the  saint  himself. 

One  of  the  most  respectable  inhabitants  of  the 
place  was  a Christian  called  Michael,  who  told  our 
traveller  that,  when  his  father  was  near  dying,  he 
placed  in  his  hands,  as  the  most  valuable  part  of 
his  inheritance,  two  rosaries,  and  a porcelain  vase 
filled  with  holy  water,  saying  to  him  at  the  same 
time,  “ This  is  a gift  which  I received  many  years 
ago  from  a wonderful  and  holy  man,  named  Francis, 
who  came  from  distant  regions  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  teaching  us  the  way  of  salvation  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God.  I had  the  good 
fortune  of  receiving  him  in  my  house;  and  he 
made  me  rich  indeed,  by  way  of  recompense,  for 
he  made  me  a Christian ; and,  on  bidding  me  fare- 
well, he  bestowed  on  me  this  precious  treasure 
which  I now  consign  to  thee.  Keep  it  carefully; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  371 

for  I can  tell  tbee,  by  experience,  that  health  may 
be  imparted  to  the  sick,  who  are  either  touched 
with  these  rosaries  or  who  swallow  a little  of  the 
water.”  Thus  spoke  the  dying  man  to  his  son 
Michael,  who  went  on  relating  a vast  number  of 
miraculous  cures  which,  as  we  may  say,  had  passed 
through  his  hands,  as  he  applied  these  revered 
memorials  of  a saintl}T  benefactor. 

The  Jesuit  father  asked  him  how  he  had  con- 
trived to  preserve  this  water,  and  make  it  suffice 
for  such  a number  of  invalids  ; for  there  was  still 
a considerable  quantity  remaining.  Michael  an- 
swered, with  holy  simplicity,  “ Oh,  if  I had  only 
given  a single  drop  to  each  of  my  numerous  ap- 
plicants, it  would  have  been  all  gone  long  ago; 
but,  as  I drew  off  from  what  had  been  given  by 
the  saint,  I took  care  to  fill  up  the  vase  with  com- 
mon water,  which,  becoming  mingled  with  the 
rest,  acquired  the  same  miraculous  efficacy.”  Mi- 
chael moreover  informed  him  that,  when  Father 
Francis  Xavier  went  awray,  he  left  with  the  faith- 
ful there  a picture  of  the  Annunciation,  together 
with  an  antependium  and  a canopy  for  the  altar, 
both  composed  of  beautiful  silk.  These  valuables 
were  kept  with  the  greatest  care,  until  they  were 
seized  by  the  then  reigning  prince,  a pagan.  He 
happened  to  hear  that  the  Christians  were  in 
possession  of  these  things,  and  asked  to  see  them. 
.Refusal  was  of  course  impossible.  The  barbarian 
at  once  claimed  them,  and  sold  the  picture  to  some 
merchants,  cutting  up  the  beautiful  silks  to  make 
dresses  for  his  children.  “ Heaven  knows,”  con- 
tinued Michael,  “how  much  my  wife  and  I wept 
over  this  desecration,  which  we  would  willingly 


372 


THE  LIFE  OF 


have  prevented  at  the  expense  of  our  own  lives. 
But  God  and  the  saint  (whose  gift  they  were)  took 
ample  vengeance  on  their  spoiler;  for  in  a short 
time  his  four  children  died,  one  after  another,  pro- 
bably in  punishment  for  having  thus  impiously 
sold  the  precious  picture.  Of  the  fifth  and  only 
remaining  child,  some  say  he  is  gone  mad,  and 
others  say  that  he  is  also  dead.” 

Our  worthy  Michael  also  related  instances  of 
the  saint’s  protection  manifested  in  his  own  behalf. 
Once,  when  he  was  reduced  to  extreme  poverty, 
he  went  to  a neighboring  wood  to  collect  a few 
roots  and  herbs  for  food,  and  he  found  a piece  of 
gold  at  the  foot  of  a tree,  which  there  was  every 
reason  to  believe  had  been  placed  there  by  an 
angel’s  hand,  for  it  was  unlike  and  of  much  finei 
quality  than  the  gold  of  the  country. 

Another  time,  he  was  walking  at  the  foot  of  a 
volcanic  mountain,  just  at  the  moment  when  it 
discharged  an  enormous  stone,  which  rolled  down- 
ward with  great  velocity  in  the  direction  of  the 
poor  man,  who  was  left  without  the  least  chance 
of  escape,  for  the  path  was  too  narrow  to  admit 
of  divergence.  As  he  was  expecting  to  be  crushed 
to  death,  he  called  aloud  on  Father  Francis,  when 
the  stone,  or  rather  the  mass  of  stone,  suddenly 
took  another  direction,  and  fell  at  no  great  distance 
from  him. 

But  to  return  to  Xavier  himself.  From  Canadab 
he  hastened  to  Firando,  travelling,  as  usual,  on 
foot,  he  and  his  companions  carrying  their  luggage 
on  their  backs : it  consisted  onl}”  of  the  vestments 
and  other  articles  requisite  for  the  celebration  of 
holy  mass.  Great  were  the  inconveniences  of 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  373 

their  land-journey,  whilst  their  dangers  ty  pirates 
at  sea  were  equally  great;  but  all  this  was  sweet 
to  these  three  fervent,  courageous  men,  to  whom 
even  death  would  have  been  welcome  if  by  it  they 
could  have  enlarged  the  kingdom  of  Christ  on 
earth, — their  animating  discourses  of  God  and  holy 
things  forming  no  small  alleviation  to  the  laborious 
fatigue  of  the  road,  to  the  scarcity  of  food,  to  the 
want  of  shelter,  and  other  trials  to  which  they 
were  perpetually  exposed : the  very  cheerfulness 
which  beamed  on  their  countenances  tended  to 
their  mutual  encouragement. 

On  their  arrival  at  Firando,  they  were  received 
by  the  Portuguese  ships  stationed  there  with  ex- 
traordinary demonstrations  of  joy  and  respect, 
standards  flying,  drums  beating,  and  discharges 
of  artillery : delighted  indeed  were  the  crews  to 
meet,  in  this  remote  corner  of  the  world.,  that  Xa- 
vier who,  go  where  he  wcmld,  carried  the  heart  of 
India  with  him.  With  equal  marks  of  distinction 
and  honor,  they  conducted  him  to  court  to  see  the 
king,  who,  hearing  so  much  of  him,  both  from 
Cangoxima  as  well  as  from  the  Portuguese,  was 
most  anxious  to  see  him.  He  received  the  holy 
man  with  great  respect,  occasioned  partly,  no 
doubt,  by  seeing  him  so  much  reverenced  by  his 
European  friends.  And  it  was  well  that  such  an 
impression  should  be  made;  because  a man  of  his 
stamp,  who  had  no  idea  of  God  or  of  the  influence 
of  Christian  virtue,  would  at  first  sight  have  con- 
temned the  saint  on  account  of  his  mean  garb  and 
humble  deportment.  But,  whatever  may  have 
been  the  honor  shown  him,  he  prized  it  far  less 
than  the  consent,  obtained  as  soon  as  asked,  to 
32 


874 


THE  LIFE  OF 


preach  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  kingdom  of 
Firando,  together  with  full  liberty  for  the  people 
to  embrace  it. 

The  holy  father  and  his  two  companions  imme- 
diately began  to  traverse  the  most  frequented 
places,  publicly  proclaiming  the  kingdom  of  Jesus 
Christ.  The  whole  city  was  thrown  into  commo- 
tion, crowds  eagerly  flocking  to  hear  the  new  doc- 
trines taught  by  the  European  bonze.  In  the 
mean  time,  God  began  to  speak  by  the  mouths  of 
his  ministers  to  the  hearts  of  the  people;  and  so 
successful  was  the  teaching  that  in  twenty  dajTs 
he  baptized  more  persons  than  he  had  done  in  a 
whole  year  at  Cangoxima.  Xavier  perceived  this 
to  he  a soil  which  would  well  repay  cultivation, 
and  that  it  was  blessed  by  Heaven : he  therefore 
consigned  it  to  the  care  of  Father  Cosmo  Torres ; 
and  having,  by  the  aid  of  the  Portuguese,  raised 
a small  church  on  the  sea-shore,  he  and  Brother 
John  Fernandez  started  for  Meaco  toward  the  end 
of  October,  taking  road  through  the  states  of 
Amanguki. 

Amanguki  was  one  of  the  richest  and  most 
elegant  cities  of  Japan  : the  kingdom  to  which  it 
gives  name  possesses  a fine  soil,  silver-mines,  with 
several  other  natural  advantages;  but  its  inhabit- 
ants are  superlatively  vicious,  their  sensual  ex- 
cesses being  of  the  most  flagrant  and  revolting 
description.  Without  asking  permission  of  King 
Okshindono,  Xavier  at  once  began  boldly  to  an- 
nounce the  kingdom  of  Christ.  Morning  and  even- 
ing he  gave  an  exposition  of  the  principal  myste- 
ries of  faith  ; he  condemned  the  enormous  sins  of 
the  people,  and  threatened  them  with  the  judgments 


SAINT  FR.ANCIS  X A V T E R.  375 

of  God.  Attracted  by  the  novelty  of  the  teaching, 
he  was  followed  by  crowds;  and  at  last  certain 
nobles,  hearing  of  him,  wished  to  know  something 
of  his  doctrines,  and  accordingly  sent  to  invite 
him  to  their  houses,  promising  to  embrace  Chris- 
tianity if  th  3y  could  be  convinced  of  its  truths. 
Heedless  of  his  own  convenience,  he  went  wher- 
ever he  was  called;  but  those  intellects,  blinded 
by  sensuality,  could  not  discern  the  light  of  truth 
even  when  placed  before  their  very  eyes.  Most 
astonishing  was  the  holy  liberty  with  which  he 
reproved  those  grandees,  who  were  always  sur- 
rounded by  their  armed  retainers : nevertheless, 
the  saint,  humble  as  he  was,  looked  at  them  with 
a stern  countenance,  and  reproached  them  with 
an  authority  more  than  human.  Sometimes  they 
would  address  Fernandez  in  terms  of  insolent 
familiarity;  whereupon  Xavier,  inflamed  with  zeal, 
ordered  him  to  pay  them  back  in  their  own  coin, 
not  in  defence  of  his  own  honor,  but  from  respect 
to  the  divine  law  which  they  preached.  Fernan- 
dez tells  us  that,  when  he  has  been  obliged  by 
obedience  to  speak  in  this  manner  to  the  Japanese 
nobles,  he  always  did  it  tremblingly,  expecting 
every  moment  that  some  scimitar  would  smite  off 
both  their  heads.  The  saint,  however,  encouraged 
his  companion  to  cast  aside  this  natural  fear  of 
death  and  rise  superior  to  all  that  men  could  in- 
flict upon  him. 

Certain  it  is  that  his  undaunted  courage  raised 
him  in  the  veneration  of  these  haughty  nobles, 
not  one  of  whom  ventured  to  insult  him  even  in 
word.  Hot  so  the  inferior  classes:  instigated  by 
the  bonzes*  the  mob  would  follow  him  and  Fernan- 


376 


THE  LIFE  OF 


dez,  pelting  them  with  stones  and  mud  and  insult- 
ing them  with  every  species  of  abuse.  After  a 
time  these  disturbances  reached  the  knowledge  of 
the  king,  who  ordered  Xavier  and  his  companion 
to  appear  before  him,  to  give  an  account  of  their 
conduct.  A report  was  soon  spread  that  the 
foreign  bonzes  were  to  be  brought  to  court;  and 
accordingly,  on  the  appointed  day,  the  palace  was 
filled  with  all  the  prime  nobility  of  Amanguki. 
Never  had  our  saintly  apostle  felt  greater  joy  than 
now,  that  he  was  called  upon  to  speak  of  the  gran- 
deurs of  Jesus  Christ  before  so  select  an  audience. 
The  king,  seated  on  his  throne,  conducted  the  in- 
terrogatory himself,  and  began  by  asking  what 
motive  had  brought  him  to  that  remote  corner  of 
the  world;  to  which  the  saint,  with  a majestic  and 
intrepid  aspect,  told  him  that  he  was  the  ambas- 
sador of  the  great  God,  the  Creator  and  Master  of 
the  world,  who  had  sent  him  to  Japan  to  teach  his 
divine  law,  without  the  observance  of  which  no 
one  could  be  saved.  “ And  who  is  this  God?  aod 
what  is  his  law?”  inquired  the  monarch.  Then 
the  saint,  bending  his  head  in  lowly  reverence,  de- 
clared that  God  had  made  heaven  and  earth  out 
of  nothing, — passing  on  to  the  fall  of  the  lebel 
angels,  the  disobedience  of  the  first  man,  the  in- 
carnation, life,  death,  and  resurrection  of  our  divine 
.Redeemer,  the  general  judgment  at  the  last  day, 
and  other  similar  things.  With  energetic  zeal,  he 
next  addressed  himself  to  the  assembled  nobles, 
reproving  them  as  being  the  worst  of  all,  though 
so  much  indebted  to  the  Lord  their  Creator : nor 
was  he  satisfied  with  this : like  another  Baptist 
reproving  Herod,  he  turned  to  the  king  himself, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


377 


censuring  his  loathsome  vices,  -so  contrary  to  all 
the  laws  of  nature.  He  dwelt  upon  the  scandal 
he  was  occasioning  his  subjects,  and  on  the  ever- 
lasting perdition  to  which  he  would  undoubtedly 
be  sentenced  by  that  supreme  Lord  in  whose  sight 
the  greatest  of  earthly  monarchs  is  no  more  than 
I the  veriest  worms  which  crawl  beneath  his  feet. 
Thus  spoke  the  zealous  preacher  for  more  than  an 
hour;  and,  from  the  boldness  with  which  he  spoke, 
every  one  present  expected  the  king  would  con- 
sign him  to  the  hands  of  the  executioner.  But  no 
such  thing:  whether  from  policy  or  piety,  or  what 
other  impulse,  is  not  known,  but  the  barbarian 
listened  to  every  word  he  uttered;  and  at  last, 
without  giving  any  indication  of  his  real  feelings, 
he  courteously  dismissed  the  man  of  God. 

The  obduracy  of  this  city  cost  the  father  much 
affliction  and  many  tears.  Although  he  remained 
several  weeks  here,  preaching  every  day,  he  gained 
but  few  souls.  It  was  evident  that,  for  the  time- 
being, our  Lord  required  nothing  more  from  him 
than  the  exercise  of  patience  and  charity,  reserv- 
| ing  the  conversion  of  the  people  till  his  return 
j from  Meaco.  Leaving  the  grace  of  God  to  work 
j upon  these  hearts,  the  saint  repaired  to  the  grand 
court  of  Meaco,  accompanied  by  Fernandez  and 
J two  Japanese,  one  named  Bernard  and  the  other 
i Matthew,  both  very  fervent,  and  both  baptized  by 
; himself. 

Meaco,  the  metropolis  of  Niphon,  is  unfavorably 
situated,  far  from  the  sea,  in  a rather  barren  soil, 
surrounded  by  high  mountains,  is  excessively  cold, 

! yet  where  fuel  is  expensive.  Hence  the  name  of 
Meaco  (which  means  a place  worth  seeing')  has  not 
32* 


378 


THE  LIFE  OF 


been  awarded  in  consequence  of  any  natural  ameni- 
ties or  advantages,  but  solely  on  account  of  the 
number  and  magnificence  of  its  palaces:  it  is  com- 
posed, in  fact,  of  two  towns,  the  one  called  upper 
and  the  other  lower  Meaco,  the  former  being  twice 
the  size  of  the  latter.  In  former  times  the  em- 
peror resided  here,  and  tradition  affirms  that  it 
enclosed  three  hundred  thousand  houses  within  its 
circumference, — that  it  extended  twenty  miles  in 
length,  by  nine  in  width.  At  the  time  of  Xavier’s 
visit  the  monarchy  was  already  dismembered;  and 
Meaco  was  so  far  reduced  as  not  to  contain  more 
than  a hundred  thousand  families.  Curtailed  as 
were  the  King  of  Meaco’s  territories,  he  still  re- 
tained the  ancient  name  of  emperor,  expressed  in 
their  language  by  the  term  Dairi.  The  city  was 
still  noble,  containing  many  magnificent  temples, 
academies,  monasteries,  and  palaces:  of  these  latter, 
the  most  splendid  belonged  to  the  sasso  or  head  of 
the  Japanese  religion. 

Xavier  set  out  on  his  journey  to  Meaco  in  the 
very  worst  season  of  the  year,  that  is  to  say,  about 
the  middle  of  December,  when  the  rains  continue 
for  whole  weeks  and  when  the  weather  is  so  severe 
as  to  be  almost  intolerable  even  to  the  natives.  His 
path  lay  across  wild  mountains,  swollen  torrents, 
and  woody  districts,  where  enormous  icicles  hang 
from  the  trees,  to  the  no  small  inconvenience  of 
travellers  who  have  to  pass  beneath  them.  Our 
holy  apostle,  poorly  clad  and  always  barefoot,  carry- 
ing, moreover,  the  paraphernalia  for  the  altar,  pur- 
sued his  way  as  best  he  conld.  The  stock  of  pro- 
visions for  himself  and  companions  was  carried  by 
Bernard,  and  consisted  of  nothing  more  than  a bag 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


879 


of  roasted  rice  with  a little  salt.  For  beverage, 
they  depended  on  the  springs  which  fell  in  their 
way.  The  piety  of  the  King  Don  John  of  Portugal 
provided  nobly  for  the  saint,  assigning  him  a hand- 
some revenue  of  above  a thousand  ducats ; but  Xa- 
vier, like  a true  apostle,  loved  evangelical  poverty 
too  well  to  apply  so  much  as  a single  farthing  of 
i this  fund  to  his  own  benefit : the  whole  was  spent 
upon  his  converts,  as  an  affectionate  father  would 
do  among  his  children,  whose  necessities  would  be 
more  cared  for  than  his  own. 

We  may  judge  of  the  sufferings  and  incon- 
veniences he  underwent  in  this  journey  from  the 
length  of  time  empktyed  upon  it : he  is  known  to 
have  walked  the  whole  day  at  a pace  regulated  by 
the  fervor  of  his  charity  rather  than  by  the  strength 
of  his  limbs.  At  a favorable  season  a fortnight 
would  suffice  for  the  distance;  and  yet  it  occupied 
him  upward  of  two  months.  He  had  to  scramble 
up  and  down  mountains  on  his  hands  and  knees; 
and  as  the  road  was  unknown  to  himself  and  his 
companions,  and  was  moreover  covered  with  snow, 
he  constituted  himself  their  guide,  which  obliged 
him  frequently  to  ascend  heights  in  order  to  ex- 
plore the  surface  of  the  country  and  calculate  the 
route  according  as  towns  and  hamlets  gleamed  in 
] the  distance.  Frequently  had  they  to  cross  frozen 
ponds  and  rivers;  and  often  did  night  overtake 
them,  when,  bathed  in  sweat  and  rain,  they  had  to 
sleep  in  the  open  air,  with  stones  for  their  couch, 
and  no  better  restorative  than  a handful  of  rice. 
As  for  him,  he  felt  the  sufferings  of  his  companions 
far  more  than  his  own ; for  we  learn  from  them- 
selves that,  on  starting  in  the  morning,  he  imme- 


380 


THE  LIFE  OF 


diately  put  himself  in  prayer,  when  his  face  became 
inflamed  with  the  same  fire  which  burned  in  his 
heart,  and  he  evidently  became  insensible  to  the 
pain  occasioned  by  the  intense  cold.  With  his 
eyes  fixed  on  the  heavens,  and  his  mind  fixed  on 
God,  he  walked  upon  the  thorns  and  briers  whict 
strewed  his  path,  leaving  shreds  of  his  poor  gar 
ments  behind  him  on  the  bushes,  and  traces  of 
his  bleeding  feet  upon  the  road,  apparently  uncon 
scious  of  it  all. 

Oh  that  God  would  deign  to  illuminate  my  mind 
to  know  what  on  these  occasions  he  disclosed  to 
his  servant, — what  objects,  in  those  contemplations, 
could  have  filled  his  soul  with  consolations  capable 
of  blunting  his  bodily  sensibilities  and  of  carrying 
him  in  spirit  so  far  from  the  place  where  he  cor- 
porally was ! At  least,  if  I may  hazard  a conjec- 
ture on  so  exalted  a subject,  it  would  be  this : Is  it 
not  possible  that,  permitted  by  God  to  raise  the  veil 
of  futurity,  he  beheld  how  many  of  his  brethren, 
led  on  by  the  same  spirit  and  zeal  as  himself,  would 
pursue  the  same  traces  which  he  was  then  marking 
with  his  blood, — footprints  which  they,  no  less 
than  himself,  would  revive  and  color  with  their 
blood,  both  in  imitation  of  him  and  to  give  ex- 
ample to  their  followers  ? Many  and  many  years 
did  they  laboriously  cast  the  seed  of  the  gospel  in 
the  harsh,  unculitvated  soil  of  Japanese  heathen- 
ism and,  in  order  to  render  it  more  fertile  in 
future  times,  they  watered  it  copiously  with  theii 
blood.  Their  martyrdoms  were  as  heroical  as  they 
w7ere  unheard-of  and  cruel,  comprising  crucifixion, 
lances,  arrows,  slow  fire,  chains,  poison,  frozen 
water,  boiling  water,  and  last,  but  not  least,  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  381 

ono  called  the  pit,  invented  expressly  for  the  tor- 
ture of  the  Christians. 

However,  whatever  may  have  been  the  object 
which  rendered  Xavier  unconscious  of  pain  for  the 
time-being,  I do  not  mean  to  say  that,  because  his 
soul  or  mind  was  in  a state  of  beatitude,  his  body 
suffered  nothing.  Far  from  it:  his  accumulated 
suffering  and  privation  reduced  him  to  such  a 
state  of  debility  that  on  arriving  at  Sacai  he  was 
obliged  to  give  up,  for  he  was  seriously  ill : not 
that  he  called  for  medical  aid;  none  was  to  be  had; 
but  he  allowed  himself  a little  rest. 

Such  were  the  fruits  afforded  him  by  land  in  the 
course  of  this  journey.  Nor  was  the  sea  more 
propitious.  He  had  occasionally  to  traverse  small 
gulfs,  by  way  of  shortening  the  route;  and  here 
he  was  exposed  to  pirates,  who  were  everywhere 
lying  in  wait  to  pounce  upon  and  plunder  un- 
wary travellers.  Twice,  when  assailed  by  them, 
he  was  wounded  by  their  arrows, — after  which, 
his  sailors,  pagans  though  they  were,  always  en- 
deavored to  place  him  under  shelter.  In  addition 
to  these  dangers,  how  much  had  he  not  to  suffer 
from  storms  and  other  casualties  at  sea ! 

As  his  indefatigable  zeal  and  charity  were  ever 
on  the  alert,  he  lost  no  opportunity  of  preaching 
through  the  towns  and  hamlets  as  he  passed  along, 
when,  if  he  did  no  more,  he  recited  aloud  in  Japan- 
ese a summary  of  the  Christian  faith  : nor  did  this 
always  prove  a light  task.  Father  Cosmo  Torres 
tells  us  that  it  led  to  the  conversion  of  many,  whom 
he  instructed  and  baptized;  though  he  often  gained 
nothing  more  than  the  exercise  of  his  own  zeal  and 
patience.  A man  so  ill  equipped,  lean  and  ema- 


382 


THE  LIFE  OF 


dated  as  a beggar,  barefooted,  and  a foreigner, 
in  a country  where  all  foreigners  are  considered 
as  savages,  was  looked  upon  as  little  less  than  a 
fool  or  madman  when  he  attempted  to  speak  on 
such  exalted  topics  as  God  and  divine  truths,  or 
when  he  promised  eternal  rewards  or  threatened 
with  eternal  torments,  or  when  he  reproved  their 
gross,  sensual  mode  of  life.  On  these  occasions, 
children  and  others  would  pelt  him  with  stones, 
and  tear  his  poor  rags  off  his  back,  crying  out, 
Deus!  Deus!  in  mockery  of  him  and  his  instruc- 
tions. He  always  spoke  of  God  under  his  Latin 
appellative,  in  order  that  the  Japanese  might  never 
confound  the  Almighty  with  the  fabulous  deities 
of  the  country.  But  the  bonzes  treated  him  in- 
finitely worse  than  the  populace,  whom  they  often 
incited  to  massacre  him;  and  we  know  that  twice 
emissaries  were  lying  in  wait  to  stone  him  to  death 
as  he  issued  through  the  city  gates ; but  God  de- 
feated their  schemes  by  raising  such  terrific  thun- 
der and  lightning  at  the  moment  that  the  despera- 
does fled  in  terror,  without  so  much  as  venturing 
to  touch  him. 

The  most  laborious  part  of  this  long  journey 
was  toward  the  end  of  it,  as  they  neared  Meaco; 
and  here  did  our  apostolic  pilgrim  give  fresh  proof 
of  his  incomparable  charity.  The  road  hereabouts 
is  remarkably  wild,  and,  from  its  numerous  moun 
tains,  is  often  perplexing  to  the  natives  themselves. 
Besides  this,  it  abounds  with  soldiers  and  ruffians 
of  every  description : hence  travellers  were  often 
obliged  to  swerve  from  the  direct  road,  selecting 
by-paths  for  safety:  for  the  same  reason,  he  engaged 
himself  as  groom  to  some  Japanese  merchants 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


383 


travelling  on  business  to  Meaco.  In  addition  to 
his  own  baggage,  he  had  to  carry  a portmanteau 
belonging  to  one  of  them ; and,  on  reaching  the 
inns,  he  had  to  lead  their  horses  to  the  stable  and 
attend  to  them.  Moreover,  he  had  to  follow  them 
on  foot,  running  at  the  top  of  his  speed,  for  they 
generally  were  on  the  gallop  for  fear  of  meeting 
with  robbers.  The  reader  will  guess  what  he  must 
have  gone  through  at  this  time.  So  far  did  the 
zeal  of  souls  carry  this  nuncio,  (so  truly  an  apos- 
tolic nuncio !)  and  such  is  the  example  which  he 
bequeathed  to  his  successors  ! 

“Such,  then,  my  dear  fathers  and  my  dear 
brothers,”  writes  Father  Cosmo  Torres,  “ such  are 
the  fervors  and  such  the  mortifications,  so  different 
in  prospective  from  stern  reality.  Let  those  who 
think  of  coming  to  Japan  ponder  them  attentively, 
and,  as  they  dwell  upon  the  painful  beginnings  of 
this  arduous  mission,  let  them  purpose  to  imitate 
the  example  now  given  them.  But,  in  truth, 
whatever  they  may  do  will  be  as  nothing  in  com- 
parison with  what  our  leader,  Father  Francis,  has 
done  and  undergone.  Were  I to  attempt  to  de- 
scribe the  vituperation,  insults,  hunger,  and  cold 
endured  by  him  and  his  companions,  I should 
never  come  to  an  end.” 

As  we  have  already  remarked,  Almighty  God 
seems  to  have  required  no  more  of  Xavier  than 
that  he  should  open  the  path  of  the  gospel,  and  go 
and  take  possession  of  the  territory,  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  and  of  the  Church;  leaving  his 
successors  to  reap  the  fruit  of  his  labors,  he  only 
reaping  the  merit  of  his  zeal.  He  found  Meaco  ir» 
a state  of  revolt,  and  the  king  at  war  with  some 


384 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of’  his  neighbors;  so  that  small  chance  of  progress 
had  the  gospel  just  at  present.  He  was  not  even 
able  to  gain  an  interview  either  with  the  dairi  or 
with  the  sasso,  to  procure  their  authorization  to 
preach  the  law  of  Christ  without  hinderance  from 
the  bonzes.  We  know  not  whether  it  was  the 
usual  form  of  those  tribunals,  or  whether  it  was 
merely  the  avarice  of  some  of  the  functionaries, 
hoping  to  extort  money  from  the  Portuguese : at 
all  events,  they  demanded  upward  of  six  hundred 
ducats  for  such  audiences,  which  of  course  Xavier 
could  not  give.  He  had  nothing  but  himself  and 
the  treasures  of  eternal  salvation,  which  they 
cared  little  or  nothing  for.  Seeing,  then,  how 
little  he  had  to  hope,  he  set  out  toward  the  end  of 
February,  1551,  to  return  again  through  the  same 
dangers,  sufferings,  and  inconveniences  as  we  have 
so  recently  narrated.  God  was  preparing  for  him 
at  Amanguki  the  recompense  of  his  toilsome  wan- 
derings, to  which  place  he  returned  about  foui 
months  after  he  had  quitted  it.  He  was  advised  to 
endeavor  to  introduce  the  faith  by  the  only  means 
likely  to  succeed, — viz.,  by  securing  the  favor  of 
the  sovereign.  For  this  purpose  he  made  him  a 
present  of  a table-clock,  a harpsichord,  and  other 
curiosities,  which  had  been  given  to  Xavier  by  his 
friends  the  Governor  of  the  Indies  and  the  com- 
mandant of  Malacca,  under  the  impression  that 
they  might  be  serviceable  in  procuring  the  civility, 
at  least,  of  some  of  the  Japanese  princes,  to  whom 
such  things  were  novelties.  The  presents  were 
highly  pleasing  to  the  king,  who  sent  him  in  re- 
turn a large  amount  of  gold  and  silver;  but  Xa- 
vier would  accept  none  of  it,  saying,  in  answer, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  385 

that  he  had  not  been  attracted  thither  by  any 
worldly  temptations  and  advantages,  but  solely 
by  the  desire  of  enriching  the  king  and  his  sub- 
jects with  a good  which  has  not  its  equal  on  earth; 
and  that  for  the  attainment  of  bis  object  he  hoped 
soon  to  cast  himself  at  the  feet  of  his  majesty  in 
person  to  ask  it. 

On  the  following  day  he  went  to  court  and  pre- 
sented the  letters  he  had  brought  from  the  Bishop 
of  Goa  and  from  the  Governor  of  the  Indies,  both 
of  whom  wrote  in  commendation  of  the  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ  as  preached  by  Xavier.  The  saint 
took  this  opportunity  of  asking  the  king’s  consent 
to  the  teaching  of  this  faith  throughout  his  domi- 
nions. This  was  courteously  granted,  and  he  im- 
mediately caused  written  tablets  to  be  affixed  to 
all  the  most  important  edifices  of  the  city,  convey- 
ing the  royal  permission  for  all  his  subjects  and 
vassals  to  embrace  the  new  religion  taught  by  the 
European  bonzes.  As  they  were  strangers  and  vo- 
luntarily poor,  they  had  no  house  or  place  to  open 
schools  : he  therefore  assigned  them  a monastery 
which  had  formerly  belonged  to  the  bonzes,  but 
which  was  then  uninhabited. 

Thus  secure  of  royal  protection,  the  saint  and 
Fernandez  sallied  forth  twice  a day  to  the  most 
frequented  parts  of  the  city,  preaching  the  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ;  and  Xavier,  who,  according  to 
new  need,  received  anew  the  gift  of  tongues, 
preached  in  the  morning  to  the  Chinese  in  their 
own  language,  and  in  the  evening  to  the  Japanese 
in  theirs.  The  bonzes  were  boiling  with  rage,  yet 
did  not  dare  to  vent  it.  Innumerable  crowds  of 
all  ranks  flocked  to  hear  him,  and  the  wisdom 
z 33 


<86 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  the  spirit  of  God  which  spoke  in  him  so  pene- 
trated their  hearts,  that,  whereas  on  a former  oc- 
casion they  slighted  and  ridiculed  his  words,  now, 
on  the  contrary,  they  listened  to  him  and  honored 
him.  The  nobility  and  the  literati  began  to  as- 
semble together  on  purpose  to  discuss  religion 
with  him,  and  in  such  numbers  that  he  tells  us  tie 
house  was  not  large  enough  to  contain  them.  No 
sooner  did  one  set  leave  him  than  another  came  in. 
But  it  will  be  better  to  hear  what  he  himself  says 
in  one  of  his  letters  to  St.  Ignatius,  where,  detail- 
ing the  qualifications  required  in  those  members 
of  the  Society  who  were  to  be  sent  from  Europe 
for  the  missions  of  Japan,  he  exactly  describes 
himself  (though  without  intending  it)  and  what 
he  had  experienced  during  the  two  years  he  had 
then  been  laboring  there  : — 

“In  the  first  place,  they  must  be  men  of  such 
unimpeachable  morals  that  the  Japanese,  who  are 
easily  scandalized  when  the  conduct  of  their  teach- 
ers is  in  question,  and  who  are  most  curious  in 
investigating  it,  may  not  find  the  slightest  sub- 
ject of  reproach  in  them;  nor  ought  they  to  be 
less  eminent  in  learning  than  they  are  in  virtue. 
For  the  Japanese  are  accustomed  to  tell  us  that 
they  likewise  have  their  theologians,  vast  in  num- 
ber and  in  knowledge : therefore  we  must  not 
hope  to  convince  them  otherwise  than  by  the  use 
of  the  most  powerful  arguments.  In  the  third 
place,  let  them  come  prepared  to  suffer  incessant 
privations  and  poverty,  subsisting  on  vegetables, 
roots,  and  water,  and  of  these  in  small  quantities; 
to  endure  intense  cold;  to  be  poorly  clad,  to  be 
without  shelter,  and  with  few  or  no  conveniences 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  387 

for  sleep.  Besides  all  this,  they  must  be  of  good 
courage  to  live  in  the  midst  of  dangers,  with  death 
always  before  their  face,  and  death,  perhaps,  of 
the  most  terrible  description ; for,  as  we  are 
obliged  to  expose  the  frauds  and  malpractices  of 
the  bonzes,  they,  unable  to  defend  themselves  by 
argument,  strive  to  avenge  themselves  by  injuring 
us.  ...  I am  writing  to  Father  Simon,  or,  in  case 
of  his  absence,  to  the  rector  of  the  College  of  Co- 
imbra, admonishing  him  not  to  send  over  to  our 
university  here  any  but  men  who  are  well  known 
to  and  approved  by  your  holy  charity;  for  they 
will  have  to  go  through  much  more  than  they  can 
as  yet  imagine  : they  will  be  disturbed  by  visitors 
and  annoyed  with  questions  at  all  hours  of  the  day 
and  night;  they  will  be  called  to  the  houses  of 
people  of  rank,  whom  it  would  be  imprudent  to 
refuse.  They  will  scarcely  have  time  to  pray, 
meditate,  recite  the  Divine  Office , or  make  a little 
recollection;  they  may  be  unable  to  say  mass;  still 
less  will  they  find  time  for  meals  and  sleep.  The 
Japanese  are  vastly  importunate,  especially  with 
foreigners,  whom  they  are  apt  to  look  upon  as 
mere  savages,  and  make  game  of  them  accord- 
ingly. Imagine,  then,  what  they  become  when 
we  decry  their  sects  and  condemn  their  flagrant 
I vices,  &c.” 

But  this  importunity  of  the  sapient  Japanese 
just  suited  Xavier’s  purpose;  for,  generally  speak- 
ing, in  proportion  as  they  are  inquisitive,  so  are 
they  eager  to  embrace  the  truth  when  once  they 
are  convinced  of  it.  There  were  at  least  nine 
different  sects  in  Amanguki,  quite  contradictory 
one  to  another,  yet  each  having  a good  number 


388 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  partisans  : hence  there  were  perpetual  disputes 
among  them;  but  no  sooner  did  the  saint  make 
his  appearance  there  than  they  at  once  combined 
together,  and,  laying  aside  their  respective  points 
of  litigation,  they  simultaneously  conspired  against 
him,  whom  they  all  equally  dreaded  and  abhorred. 

It  was  here  that  the  stupendous  miracle  took 
place,  namely,  of  making  one  answer  satisfy  many 
and  varied  questions.  As  he  was  often  surrounded 
by  many,  who  hoped  to  puzzle  him  by  their  in- 
cessant and  contradictory  questions, — such  as  the 
essence  of  the  Deity,  the  creation  of  the  world, 
the  secrets  of  nature,  the  malice  of  the  devils, 
the  immortality  of  the  soul,  the  eternity  of  re- 
wards and  punishments ; others,  again,  were  ques- 
tions of  mere  curiosity,  as  to  the  motion  of  the 
heavenly  bodies,  the  cause  of  eclipses,  thunder, 
lightning,  the  rainbow,  and  other  equally  dissimilar 
subjects, — he  with  one  and  the  same  answer  solved 
these  multifarious  doubts,  God  so  transforming  the 
words,  either  in  his  mouth  or  in  the  ears  of  his 
auditors,  that  each  one  seemed  to  hear  the  answer 
required  by  his  own  special  question.  This  won- 
derful faculty  or  gift  was  observed  several  times 
by  their  learned  men  and  by  the  bonzes,  who  were 
astounded  at  the  prodigy ; and  they  accordingly 
planned  new  and  more  perplexing  questions,  a? 
opposite  to  one  another  as  heaven  and  earth.  W\ 
are  not  told  that  on  this  occasion,  as  on  the  former, 
they  admitted  that  one  answer  had  settled  all  their 
questions ; but  it  was  easy  to  infer  that  such  had 
been  the  case,  from  their  looks  of  astonishment 
and  from  the  interchange  of  signs  among  them- 
selves. When  they  were  obliged  to  notice  this 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


389 


singular  faculty  of  replying  to  many  different 
questions  with  one  single  answer,  they  were  still 
perverse  enough  to  deny  that  there  was  any  thing 
preternatural  about  it, — persisting  that  it  was 
merely  the  effect  of  his  great  learning,  in  which 
they  said  he  surpassed  not  only  many  of  them- 
selves, but  likewise  his  own  companions : hence, 
when  later  he  went  to  Bungo  and  left  Father 
Torres  in  his  stead  at  Amanguki,  the  bonzes 
resumed  their  audacity,  (somewhat  damped  in 
presence  of  the  saint,)  saying  that  they  could  dis- 
pute with  him,  because  he  was  less  learned  than 
Father  Francis,  and  could  not  with  one  answer 
solve  many  contradictory  doubts. 

Besides  these  miracles,  Xavier  wrought  many 
others  in  this  place,  as  we  gather  from  the  Pro- 
cesses. Matthew  and  Bernard,  the  two  Japanese 
already  named,  declared  that  they  had  seen  him 
cure  many  sick  by  merely  making  the  sign  of  the 
cross  over  them,  or  by  sprinkling  them  with  holy 
water:  they  particularly  mention  a deaf  man  to 
whom  he  restored  hearing,  a mute  to  whom  he 
imparted  speech,  and  another,  deaf,  dumb,  and 
paralyzed,  whom  he  perfectly  cured  of  all.  Father 
Anthony  Quadros  wrote  these  details  four  years 
after  they  occurred,  and  in  the  same  letter  adds, 
“ He  is  looked  upon  as  the  greatest  man  of 
Europe ; that  the  other  fathers  of  the  Society  are 
inferior  to  him,  because  they  can  only  convince 
one  gentile  at  a time,  whereas,  if  ten  or  a dozen 
persons  propose  questions  to  Father  Francis,  he 
answers  them  all  at  once, — to  which  I remarked 
that  this  was  probably  owing  to  all  the  questions 
bearing  upon  one  subject;  but  they  told  me  no, 
33* 


390 


THE  LIFE  OF 


quite  the  contrary;  and  they  added  that  this,  in 
stead  of  being  an  isolated  case,  was  a thing  of 
frequent  occurrence.” 

Now,  thanks  to  the  force  of  truth,  seconded  by 
the  miracles  and  the  saintly  life  of  our  apostle, 
conversions  became  so  numerous  that  in  less  than 
two  months  he  baptized  five  hundred,  many  of 
the  converts  belonging  to  the  noble  and  literary 
classes,  who,  as  they  only  yielded  by  degrees  and 
from  conviction,  when  once  converted,  were  able 
to  become  teachers  in  their  turn.  The  holy  man 
himself  says  that  nothing  else  was  spoken  of  at 
Amanguki,  either  in  public  or  private  assemblies, 
but  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  those 
who  were  the  most  violent  in  opposing  it,  and  the 
last  to  embrace  it,  afterward  showed  themselves 
the  most  courageous  in  defending  it  and  the  most 
exemplary  in  observing  it:  they  attached  them- 
selves so  sincerely  to  their  beloved  father  that  they 
could  not  bear  to  lose  sight  of  him,  always  finding 
motives  for  staying  with  him,  under  the  plea  of 
requiring  further  information  on  one  or  other  of 
the  mysteries  of  religion. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  describe  his  joy  at 
this  period  of  his  laborious  career : we  may  form 
a slight  idea  of  it  from  the  following  extract  from 
a letter  which  he  afterward  wrote  from  Cochin  to 
his  friends  in  Europe  : — “ I have  recently  returned 
here  from  Japan,  tolerably  well  in  health,  but 
deplorably  weak  in  virtue  and  piety.  All  my 
present  wishes  are  centred  in  the  wearisome 
voyage  to  China,  for  the  accomplishment  of  which 
I trust  to  the  goodness  of  God  and  the  infinite 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ.  For  although  I am  already 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  391 

wan  and  gray-headed,  I feel,  nevertheless,  as 
strong  and  vigorous  as  ever, — thanks  to  the  incon- 
ceivable delight  and  consolation  experienced  in 
instructing  well-disposed  minds.  Never  in  my 
life  have  I realized  more  of  this  than  recently  at 
Amanguki,  when,  with  full  consent  of  the  king, 
vast  multitudes  of  people  flocked  to  hear  us : 1 

saw  the  pride  of  the  bonzes  humbled,  and  their 
haughtiness  subdued,  whilst  at  the  same  time  the 
most  cruel  enemies  of  the  name  of  Christ  sub- 
mitted themselves  in  obedience  to  him ; I saw 
the  flash  of  triumph  with  which  the  new  Chris- 
tians disputed  with  and  overcame  the  bonzes,  the 
eagerness  with  which  they  first  strove  to  convince 
the  heathens  and  then  led  them  to  baptism,  and 
the  grateful  exultation  with  which  they  afterward 
related  the  means  they  had  employed,  and  the 
success  attending  their  battles,  together  with  the 
after-detestation  of  their  former  superstitions.  As 
I witnessed  these  things,  my  heart  was  so  filled 
with  consolation  that  I lost  all  feeling  of  my  own 
trials  and  sufferings.  Oh,  would  to  God  that  now, 
as  I recall  and  recount  the  happiness  conferred  on 
me  by  the  divine  beneficence,  in  the  midst  of  all 
my  labors, — would  that  I could  give  you  an  idea 
of  it ! — that  I could  only  send  a sample  of  it  to 
the  colleges  of  Europe  ! I am  certain  that  those 
young  students  would  come  over  in  vast  numbers, 
to  expend  their  talents  and  their  strength  to  the 
benefit  of  these  heathens,  if  they  could  but  once 
taste  the  sweetness  of  the  heavenly  delights  ex- 
perienced in  the  task  of  teaching  and  converting 
them.” 

Great  as  were  the  causes  of  his  delight,  the  man 


392 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  G-od  still  found  abundant  subject  of  regret  and 
tears,  not  only  over  the  King  of  Amanguki  himself, 
who,  highly  as  he  respected  the  Christian  religion, 
still  remained  wedded  to  his  blind  idolatry  and  to 
the  degrading  excesses  of  his  brutal  passions,  but 
likewise  over  the  first  lord  of  the  court,  a man 
named  Heantondono,  who  was,  as  we  may  say, 
the  king’s  right  hand.  A spark  of  heavenly  light 
fell  upon  his  soul,  and,  had  it  kindled  into  flame, 
the  little  church  of  Amanguki  would  have  found 
an  apostle  in  him : he  and  his  wife  venerated  Xa- 
vier as  a saint  and  as  a father;  for  his  sake  they 
succored  the  Christians  and  protected  the  faith; 
but,  having  built  and  endowed  several  monasteries 
of  bonzes  out  of  their  own  revenues,  it  behooved 
them,  as  they  foolishly  said,  to  reap  the  benefit 
thereof:  hence,  not  to  lose  that  which  they  had 
not , they  did  not  gain  that  which  they  might  have 
had,  and  thus  they  incurred  a twofold  loss, — their 
worldly  wealth  and  eternal  blessings. 

Heaven  likewise  blessed  the  toils  of  the  saint’s 
two  companions  with  wonderful  success,  especially 
Brother  John  Fernandez,  who,  in  recompense  of 
an  illustrious  victory  over  self,  gained  the  most 
glorious  triumph  that  a minister  of  the  gospel 
could  desire,  namely,  the  conversion  of  many 
infidels. 

As  he  was  one  day  preaching  very  zealously  m 
one  of  the  most  frequented  places  of  the  city,  he 
was  surrounded  by  a vast  crowd,  on  whom  his 
words  seemed  not  to  make  the  slightest  impres* 
sion:  he  persisted,  however,  in  his  discourse, 
during  which  a miserable  scamp  approached  as  if 
to  whisper  something  in  his  ear;  but,  instead  of 


■SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  393 

this,  he  discharged  in  his  face  a whole  mouthful  of 
phlegm  and  filth  which  he  had  ready  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  then  withdrew,  as  if  he  had  achieved 
some  fine  exploit,  looking  back  at  every  step  or 
two  and  grinning,  evidently  well  pleased  with 
himself  at  least.  The  bystanders  were  variously 
affected : some  laughed,  others  were  indignant  at 
such  an  outrage;  but  all  fixed  their  eyes  on  the 
good  brother,  to  see  how  he  would  take  so  shame- 
ful an  affront.  Without  so  much  as  turning  his  head 
to  look  after  the  vile  miscreant,  without  so  much 
as  changing  color,  or  pausing  in  his  address,  he 
calmly  drew  forth  his  pocket-handkerchief,  wiped 
off  the  mass  of  filth,  and  went  on  as  if  nothing 
unpleasant  had  occurred.  At  this  sight,  a death- 
like silence  pervaded  the  whole  assembly;  the  con- 
tempt of  the  most  dissolute  was  turned  into  admi- 
ration. Such  equanimity  of  mind,  such  mastery 
over  self,  which  is  so  much  prized  in  Japan,  made 
a profound  impression;  and  to  the  spectators  Fer- 
nandez at  once  became  a man  of  noble  and  mag- 
nanimous heart;  and,  what  is  yet  more,  this  beau- 
tiful instance  of  forbearance  led  to  the  conversion 
of  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of  Amanguki, 
hitherto  the  most  implacable  enemy  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  Almighty  God  had  led  him  there, 
and  made  him  the  witness  of  this  scene,  that  by 
him  He  might  suitably  repay  the  patience  of  the 
good  brother.  Being  a man  of  discernment,  (or, 
as  we  should  rather  say,  God  inwardly  enlighten- 
ing his  mind,)  he  began  to  reason  according  to  the 
dictates  of  true  wisdom:  thus,  “That  religion  must 
surely  be  divine  which  imparts  strength  to  its 
followers  to  practise  virtue  in  cases  where  unaideo 


394 


THE  LIFE  OF 


nature  would  be  unable  to  do  so.”  At  the  same 
moment  his  eyes  were  opened  to  see  that  which 
his  previous  blindness  had  shrouded  from  his  view; 
namely,  that  men  so  famous  as  these,  who  had  come 
from  the  other  extremity  of  the  globe,  through  un- 
told dangers  both  of  sea  and  land,  bad  certainly 
not  been  drawn  to  Japan  by  the  love  of  worldly 
wealth  nor  of  worldly  honors,  since  they  lived  in 
such  contempt  of  these  things  as  actually  to  refuse 
all  the  gold  and  silver  offered  by  the  king. 
Nothing,  therefore,  but  the  love  of  their  God  could 
have  brought  them  there,  seconded  by  an  insatia- 
ble desire  of  making  him  known  to  and  adored 
by  a people  so  wholly  dissimilar  to  themselves  in 
habit  and  in  religion.  Then,  again,  in  the  midst  of 
their  extreme  yet  voluntary  poverty,  they  were  ever 
happy  and  content  in  the  hope  of  enjoying  eternally 
that  bliss  which  Christianity  promises  her  followers. 
And  could  Almighty  God  allow  men  of  such  en- 
lightened intellect  and  such  holy  life  to  be  deceived  ? 
Or  could  it  be  supposed  that  he  would  bring  such 
men  from  such  a distance  merely  to  publish  false- 
hood and  fables  to  the  Japanese?  On  the  other 
hand,  he  well  knew  the  vices  of  the  bonzes,  and 
how  completely  their  conduct  was  opposed  to  the 
dictates  of  right  reason,  how  contradictory  one 
sect  was  to  another,  and  how  each  one  at  will 
might  preach  his  own  fancies  as  truths.  These 
and  other  such  thoughts  rushed  through  the  mind 
of  our  philosopher  immediately  he  witnessed  the 
heroic  patience  of  Brother  Fernandez.  Nor  was 
he  more  prompt  in  seizing  the  light  of  truth  than 
he  was  in  following  it.  When  the  brother  had 
finished  his  discourse,  and  was  moving  onward, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


395 


the  other  followed  him,  confessing  himself  doubly 
vanquished,  by  the  force  of  his  reasons  and  by  the 
example  of  his  virtue : he  solicited  baptism,  and 
received  it  from  the  hand  of  Xavier,  to  his  incom- 
parable delight,  and  to  the  great  joy  of  the  Chris- 
tians; for  they  knew  that  the  acquisition  of  this 
one — a man  of  such  influence  and  authority — would 
lead  to  the  conversion  of  many  others.  As  was 
expected,  his  example  served  as  a stimulus  to 
ethers  of  his  class  : many  of  high  rank,  learning, 
and  worth  received  the  same  grace  from  God ; 
and,  as  they  did  not  yield  till  they  were  fully 
convinced,  they  were  fit  to  be  masters  almost  as 
soon  as  they  became  scholars.  It  seemed  as  if 
they  could  never  sufficiently  thank  Almighty  God 
and  their  good  father, — continually  repairing  to 
the  latter  for  advice,  and  exerting  themselves  so 
zealously  for  the  conversion  of  their  compatriots 
that  each  one  of  them  seemed  transformed  into  an 
apostle.  Well  informed  as  they  were  of  the  false 
doctrines  of  the  bonzes,  they  went  on  exposing 
them  to  the  holy  man,  who  confuted  them  in 
public  and  private  meetings,  revealing  their  impo- 
sitions and  frauds,  which,  thanks  to  the  credulity 
of  the  people,  secured  for  them  an  ample  main- 
tenance. The  very  children  began  to  defy  the 
bonzes,  and,  instructed  by  Xavier,  could  confute 
their  errors,  so  that  at  last  the  poor  creatures 
could  hardly  say  a word  in  self-defence.  Nor  was 
this  the  least  of  their  misfortunes:  as  the  idols  were 
forsaken,  so  did  the  alms,  whereby  they  had  hith- 
erto subsisted,  fail.  This,  together  with  the  dis- 
credit to  which  bonzeism  was  reduced,  compelled 
many  of  them  to  cast  aside  their  habit,  and  devote 


396 


THE  LIFE  OF 


themselves,  some  to  the  court,  some  to  the  army, 
and  some  to  other  professions  ; so  that  of  the  hun- 
dred monasteries  once  counted  in  Amanguki,  many  j 
of  them  lost  half  their  members,  whilst  some  of  j 
them  were  utterly  abandoned.  Their  interests 
were  terribly  damaged  by  the  conversion  of  a 
most  renowned  gentile,  who  had  recently  gradu 
ated  in  one  of  the  most  famous  academies  of  Japan.  ' ' 
This  man  was  looked  upon  as  a prodigy  of  wisdom 
and  learning,  and  hence  each  sect  of  the  bonzes 
was  eager  to  win  him  over  to  its  party;  but,  ere 
his  choice  was  fixed  upon  any  one  of  them,  he  had 
several  interviews  with  Xavier,  who  clearly  con- 
vinced him  that  he  would  find  no  solid  truth  but  j 
in  the  school  of  Jesus  Christ.  In  utter  detestation 
of  all  that  he  had  hitherto  learned  from  the  books 
of  Shacca,  he  demanded  baptism.  The  whole  city 
was  in  commotion  at  this  astounding  piece  of  intel- 
ligence: it  seemed  to  every  one  impossible  that  a 
religion  could  be  false  which  was  adopted  by  so 
sublime  an  intellect  and  after  so  mature  an  investi- 
gation : the  consequence  was,  converts  went  on. 
increasing  at  Amanguki  till  their  number  reached 
three  thousand, — an  astonishing  fact,  when  we 
consider  the  genius  of  the  Japanese;  for,  unlike 
the  Indians,  who  came  over  to  the  faith  whole 
villages  together,  the  former  must  be  reasoned 
with  and  gained  singly,  like  a piece  of  statuary, 
which  is  formed  by  separate  blows  of  the  hammer. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  miserable  bonzes  remain- 
ing in  the  monasteries  were  driven  to  fury  both  by 
penury  and  shame : they  sallied  forth  publicly  to 
threaten  wars,  pestilence,  earthquakes,  and  all 
imaginable  calamities.  “ Who  would  ever  hav* 


8AINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


897 


believed,”  exclaimed  they,  “that  the  Japanese 
would  have  been  so  foolish  as  to  reject  their  ancient 
creed,  to  take  up  a new  one,  one  wholly  unknowji 
by  the  very  learned  Chinese,  brought  hither  by  a 
hypocritical  foreigner,  a beggar,  an  ignoramus, — 
a man,  in  fine,  who  is  come  to  Japan  for  no  other 
purpose  than  to  betray  it  to  the  Portuguese  ? 
They  saw  clearly  what  sort  of  religion  it  was  that 
he  proposed  to  them, — a religion  exacting  what 
was  entirely  beyond  the  strength  of  nature, — a 
religion  which,  if  not  observed,  condemned  its 
followers  to  everlasting  torments,  without  the 
slightest  hope  of  mercy.  What  an  inhuman  God 
must  not  this  God  of  the  Christians  be!  how  dif- 
ferent from  their  Amida  and  their  Shacca,  who  are 
satisfied  with  a much  milder  law ! besides,  sup- 
posing their  transgressors  to  be  plunged  to  the  very 
bottom  of  hell,  the  bonzes  knew  how  to  release 
them  and  appease  the  gods.”  In  this  absurd  strain 
did  they  hold  forth : moreover,  they  circulated 
letters  through  several  provinces,  endeavoring  to 
vilify  the  saint  and  to  excite  the  people  to  rise 
against  him.  They  also  attempted  to  rouse  the 
king,  and  to  induce  him  to  withdraw  the  indults 
he  had  conceded  to  the  Christians;  but  he  would 
not  venture  openly  to  go  quite  so  far,  but  he 
covertly  did  what  was  as  bad:  he  began  to  harass 
and  ill  use  the  new  Christians,  especially  the  most 
influential  of  them,  in  every  possible  way;  and, 
under  one  pretext  or  other,  he  contrived  to  confis- 
cate nearly  all  their  property.  But  all  his  violence 
was  unable  to  shake  these  generous  hearts  : their 
chief  regret  arose  from  not  being  yet  found  worthy 
to  sacrifice  their  lives,  as  well  as  their  fortunes,  iu 
34 


'398  THE  LIFE  OF 

•so  good  a cause.  And  truly  it  is  no  small  triumph 
to  the  Church  of  Japan  that  our  holy  apostle  him- 
self should  have  declared  that  there  was  not  one 
of  those  Christians  who  would  not  have  been 
chopped  in  pieces  rather  than  have  renounced  his 
faith. 

Our  holy  apostle  now  deemed  it  necessary  to 
return  to  India,  in  order  to  regulate  the  affairs  of 
the  Society,  provide  additional  laborers  for  the 
missions  of  Japan,  and  then  to  proceed  himself  to 
China ; for  it  was  unanimously  agreed  that,  if 
China  were  once  subjected  to  the  yoke  of  Christ, 
Japan,  which  essentially  follows  it  in  matters  of 
religion,  would  soon  be  so  too. 

Just  at  this  time  he  received  the  gratifying 
intelligence  that  a Portuguese  ship  had  reached 
the  states  of  Bungo.  However,  as  the  information 
seemed  doubtful  to  the  people  of  Amanguki,  he 
resolved  on  sending  Matthew  to  ascertain  the 
truth : he  accordingly  gave  him  letters,  dated  1st 
of  September,  addressed  to  the  captain  and  mer- 
chants of  the  ship,  (in  case  a ship  should  be  there,) 
requesting  them  to  inform  him  who  they  were, 
whence  they  came,  and  whether  they  were  likely 
to  sail  soon  to  China,  because,  if  so,  as  he  was 
anxious  to  return  to  the  Indies,  he  would,  on  hear- 
ing from  them,  join  them  at  once;  and,  in  conclu- 
sion, he  entreated  them  to  steal  a little  time  from 
mercantile  affairs  and  devote  it  to  the  examination 
of  their  conscience, — “a  merchandise,”  writes  he, 
“more  certain  and  more  important  than  all  your 
Chinese  silks,  even  if  your  traffic  in  them  should 
double  your  capital.” 

The  Portuguese  vessel  was  lying  in  the  port  of 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  39S 

Figen,  a league  distant  from  Funai,  the  metropolis 
of  Bungo.  The  messenger  bearing  letters  from 
Father  Francis  was  received  with  universal  accla- 
mation, and  was  loaded  with  presents  : the  letters 
were  read  in  public,  and  such  of  the  ship’s  com- 
pany as  were  engaged  at  Funai  were  informed  of 
their  arrival.  They,  who  in  the  course  of  conver- 
sation had  often  spoken  of  Father  Francis  to  the 
King  of  Bungo,  knowing  how  gratifying  the  in- 
telligence would  be,  announced  the  holy  man’s 
intended  arrival  in  his  dominions.  The  good  king, 
whom  Almighty  God  was  disposing  for  the  grace 
of  conversion,  was  highly  delighted,  and,  as  a 
mark  of  respect  and  affection,  declared  his  inten- 
tion of  writing  to  the  father  himself.  With  the 
king’s  letter  was  sent  one  from  the  captain  of  the 
ship  and  from  six  or  seven  of  the  most  influential 
of  the  merchants,  who  wrote  to  him  from  devotion 
and  respect,  each  one  giving  what  news  he  could 
of  India  and  Malacca.  As  for  their  ship  and  them- 
selves, there  were  thirty  Portuguese,  with  Captain 
Odoard  Gama  at  their  head  : within  the  space  of 
a month  they  were  intending  to  sail  for  China, 
having  left  three  ships  already  laden  in  one  of  the 
Chinese  ports ; that  they  should  all  start  for  the 
Indies  in  the  following  January;  that  his  great 
friend  Biego  Pereira  was  among  them  ; that  they 
hoped  he  would  join  them  without  delay;  that  they 
were  awaiting  him  with  open  arms.,  to  welcome  him 
not  so  much  to  their  shi*p  as  to  their  hearts,  &c. 

Matthew  returned  to  Amanguki  in  five  days; 
and,  amidst  the  joy  of  the  little  party,  he  remitted 
the  letters  to  the  saint,  and  informed  him  of  the 


400 


THE  LIFE  OF 


eagerness  with  which  the  Portuguese  and  the 
King  of  Bungo  were  awaiting  his  arrival. 

Having  commended  his  new  Christians  to  God, 
and  having  given  excellent  directions  and  advice 
to  them,  and  to  Torres  and  Fernandez,  whom  he 
left  with  them,  he  gave  them  a last  embrace,  and 
bade  them  farewell  amid  floods  of  tears,  (on  his 
side  as  well  as  theirs,)  and  then  set  out  on  his 
journey,  toward  the  middle  of  September,  1551. 
The  distance  from  Amanguki  to  Figen  was  eight 
hundred  miles  on  land,  besides  a short  passage  on 
sea.  As  usual,  he  travelled  on  foot,  laden  with  his 
altar-furniture.  The  consolations  experienced  in 
this  journey  were  equal  to  its  trials;  and,  having 
for  his  companions,  in  addition  to  Bernard  and 
Matthew,  two  noble  Japanese  youths,  exceedingly 
beloved  by  the  saint,  the  barbarous  King  of  Aman- 
guki had,  in  punishment  of  their  baptism,  confis- 
cated their  property,  of  which  each  had  inherited 
a revenue  of  three  thousand  ducats.  Despoiled  as 
they  were  of  their  wealth,  and  almost  half  naked, 
they  were  as  cheerful  in  their  poverty  as  if  they 
were  enjoying  all  the  comforts  of  the  world;  and 
how  could  it  be  otherwise,  sustained  and  encouraged 
as  they  were  by  their  saintly  father,  by  the  rich 
treasures  of  Christ’s  grace,  and  by  the  hope  of  an 
everlasting  reward  ? There  was  also  another  most 
fervent  Christian,  a native  of  Figen,  surnamed 
Lawrence  the  Purblind , in  consequence  of  his  de- 
fective sight : he  was  at  this  time  about  twenty- 
five  years  old,  and  of  a virtue  far  superior  to  that 
of  a mere  novice  in  the  faith. 

For  the  details  I have  to  relate,  from  this  date 
to  that'of  the  saint’s  arrival  in  India,  I am  iD 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  401 

debted  to  one  of  the  Portuguese,  who  was  the  eye- 
witness of  all  he  relates,  and  who  was  a man  of 
superior  mind,  a worthy  merchant,  and  wrote 
with  a pleasant  pen.  His  testimony,  confirmed 
by  many  others,  was  received  and  approved  in 
the  Processes,  from  whence  I have  faithfully  tran- 
scribed it. 

Travelling  with  these  beloved  companions,  Xa- 
vier bore  up  nobly  against  his  bodily  sufferings 
till  they  reached  Pinlashaw,  a village  not  more 
than  two  leagues  distant  from  Figen.  Here  his 
feet  were  found  to  be  so  terribly  sore  and  swollen, 
his  strength  so  completely  exhausted, — to  which 
may  be  added  a violent  headache, — that  he  abso- 
lutely could  proceed  no  farther.  In  the  mean  time, 
Matthew  Bernard  and  Lawrence  went  forward  to 
announce  his  condition  and  his  arrival  to  the  Portu- 
guese; whereupon  Gama  immediately  despatched 
a messenger  to  recall  those  who  were  at  Funai,  and 
the  ship  was  decked  out  in  all  her  gayest  trappings. 
They  put  on  their  richest  attire,  and  then,  forming 
a splendid  equestrian  procession,  sallied  forth  to 
Pinlashaw.  But  the  saint,  who  suspected  what 
was  planning,  and  who  knew  that  the  remaining 
difficulties  of  the  journey  would  be  less  painful  to 
his  weakness  than  the  expected  and  dreaded  honors 
would  be  to  his  humility,  again  resumed  his  march. 
The  two  parties  met  when  he  had  proceeded  about 
a quarter  of  a league : he,  laden  with  his  customary 
cargo,  walked  between  the  two  Amangukian  gen- 
tlemen. The  Portuguese  were  deeply  affected  at 
the  sight  of  him  in  so  pitiful  a plight.  They  im- 
mediately dismounted  and  greeted  him  with  all 
the  honor  due  to  such  a iran.  But,  before  they 

2 A 34* 


402 


THE  LIFE  OF 


could  proceed,  a friendly  contest  arose  between  the 
humility  of  the  saint  and  the  piety  of  the  cavaliers  : 
both  gained,  and  both  lost, — they  insisting  on  his 
completing  the  journey  mounted,  to  which,  in  spite 
of  all  their  entreaties,  he  would  on  no  account  con- 
sent, whilst  they,  on  their  side,  refused  to  ride  so 
long  as  he  walked.  Much  as  he  urged  them  to  do 
so,  they  protested  they  would  bear  him  company 
on  foot ; and  so  they  did. 

The  ship,  as  we  have  said,  was  gallantly  adorned : 
masts,  sails,  prow,  and  poop  were  decorated  with 
banners  and  streamers;  the  crew  were  drawn  up 
on  deck,  armed,  and  in  their  best  dresses.  No 
sooner  did  Xavier  appear  in  sight  than  three 
salvos  of  artillery  were  discharged  at  regular  in- 
tervals, the  last  taking  place  as  he  entered  the 
ship,  he  all  the  time  in  confusion,  and,  by  way  of 
thanks,  complaining  to  and  gently  scolding  Gama 
for  all  this  display  of  honor  and  respect.  When 
the  people  of  Funa'i  heard  the  report  of  the  guns, 
they  were  alarmed,  fearing  that  the  Portuguese 
had  been  suddenly  attacked  by  corsairs ; and  the 
king  sent  a messenger  at  full  speed  to  ascertain 
tho  cause  of  the  commotion.  Gama,  pointing  to 
Father  Francis,  said  that  it  was  a small  show  of 
honor,  to  welcome  that  holy  man  just  arrived  from 
Amanguki;  adding  that  he  was  an  incomparable 
man,  most  dear  to  God,  and  much  esteemed  by  the 
King  of  Portugal  his  master.  The  noble  Funa'ian 
messenger,  who  saw  no  more  in  Father  Francis 
than  a barefooted,  ill-clad  man,  remembered  all 
the  abusive  accounts  of  him  circulated  by  tho 
bonzes  of  Amanguki,  and  manifested  signs  of  sur- 
prise: then,  turning  to  Gama,  he  owned  that  he 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  403 

scarcely  knew  what  answer  to  return  to  the  King 
of  Bungo,  because,  on  the  one  side,  he  felt  disposed 
to  believe  the  assertions  of  the  captain,  whilst,  on 
the  other,  he  was  aware  that  those  bonzes  had 
written  to  his  highness  the  most  infamous  accounts 
of  him;  for  instance,  that  the}’  had  often  seen  him 
in  familiar  intercourse  with  a devil,  who  taught 
him  how  to  throw  his  incantations  and  work  the 
miracles  which  seduced  the  populace ; that  he  was 
a beggar  laden  with  maledictions,  that  the  worms 
which  covered  him  from  head  to  foot  disdained  to 
feast  on  his  loathsome  flesh,  and  much  more  of 
the  same  discreditable  nonsense.  Gama,  however, 
spoke  as  the  occasion  required,  and  bore  witness  to 
Xavier’s  innocence  of  life,  saying  much  in  praise 
of  his  voluntary  poverty.  He  stated  that  he  was  a 
European  nobleman,  of  royal  blood,  who  had  made 
himself  poor  by  a heroic  act  of  virtue,  and  nothing 
else.  Much  astonished  at  all  he  had  heard,  the 
gentleman  returned  to  Funai,  faithfully  relating  to 
the  king  all  that  he  had  seen  and  heard,  and  added 
that  the  Portuguese  deemed  themselves  richer  in 
the  possession  of  such  a man  than  if  their  ship  had 
been  laden  with  silver;  that,  as  for  himself,  he 
had  perceived  a certain  majesty  of  countenance  in 
him  quite  superhuman, — a certain  indication  that 
he  was  above  the  ordinary  rank  of  men.  All  this 
did  but  increase  the  wise  king’s  ardent  desire  of 
becoming  acquainted  with  such  a man,  to  whom 
he  accordingly  forwarded  the  following  letter  of 
invitation  and  welcome  : — 

“Father  Bonza  of  Chemaicogin,  [the  name  by 
which  they  designate  Portugal :]  May  your  happy 
arrival  in  my  dominions  be  as  gratifying  to  your 


404 


THE  LIFE  OF 


God  as  are  the  praises  wherewith  his  saints  give 
him  honor!  Quanshunasama,  the  attendant  whom 
I sent  down  to  the  port,  has  informed  me  of  your 
arrival;  and  my  people  can  tell  you  how  truly  1 
rejoice  thereat.  I therefore  most  earnestly  entreat 
you  (for  God  has  not  made  me  worthy  to  command 
you)  to  gratify  the  ardor  of  my  affection  for  you 
by  hastening  hither  before  sunrise,  and  knocking 
at  the  private  little  door  of  my  house,  where  I 
shall  be  so  eagerly  awaiting  you;  and,  whilst  I ask 
this  favor  of  you,  let  not  my  words  prove  annoy- 
ing to  you.  In  the  mean  time,  kneeling  prostrate 
on  the  ground,  I beseech  your  God,  whom  I ac- 
knowledge to  be  the  God  of  all  gods,  the  Sovereign 
Lord  of  all  the  greatest  and  the  best  who  dwell  in 
heaven,  to  make  the  wisdom  of  your  doctrine  be 
understood  by  the  haughty  ones  of  our  days, 
showing  them  how  dear  to  him  is  your  life,  so  rich 
in  poverty;  that  the  sons  of  this  world,  under- 
standing it,  may  no  longer  be  deceived  by  the 
fallacious  promises  of  the  world.  Send  me  news 
of  your  health,  that  so  I may  retire  to  rest  happy 
and  content  till  the  crowing  of  the  cocks  in  the 
morning  shall  announce  the  glad  tidings  of  your 
arrival.’' 

The  honor  of  this  embassy  was  heightened  by 
the  rank  of  the  individuals  to  whom  it  was  in- 
trusted. These  were  a young  man  nearly  related 
to  the  king  himself,  and  a venerable  and  learned 
man  called  Poomindono,  likewise  of  royal  extrac- 
tion. The  two  were  attended  by  thirty  cavaliers. 
On  entering  the  ship  and  presenting  the  letter  to 
Xavier,  the  young  man  was  received  with  a salute 
of  fifteen  guns,  with  which  he  deemed  himself 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


405 


much  honored,  and,  turning  to  Poomindono,  was 
heard  to  say  that  assuredly  great  must  be  the  God 
of  those  people;  His  mysteries  were  deep  and 
hidden  to  the  human  mind,  since  he  could  take 
pleasure  in  being  served  by  a man  of  such  extreme 
poverty  as  that  Portuguese  bonze : the  discharge 
of  artillery  in  his  honor  testified  how  dear  his 
poverty  must  be  to  their  God  and  Lord;  whereas 
among  themselves  poverty  was  held  in  abomina- 
tion and  contempt.  To  this  the  wise  and  aged 
nobleman  replied  that  “ possibly  this  poor  man 
prized  his  poverty,  although  abhorred  by  us. 
Although  we  deem  the  poor  unworthy  of  bless- 
ings, either  in  this  life  or  the  next,  his  poverty 
may  be  so  pleasing  to  the  God  whom  he  serves, 
that,  making  himself  thus  poor  for  his  sake,  he 
may  in  reality  be  better  off  than  all  the  rich  men 
in  the  world,  notwithstanding  all  that  our  bonzes 
say  to  the  contrary.”  In  this  manner  did  our 
ambassadors  philosophize  on  Xavier’s  poverty,  as 
they  were  returning  to  the  court.  We  know  not 
whether  the  young  lord  spoke  solely  from  the 
strength  of  his  own  judgment,  or  by  divine  in- 
spiration. However  this  may  be,  he  spoke  in  such 
high  terms  of  the  saint  as  to  persuade  the  king 
that  “ such  a man  ought  not  to  be  received  in  the 
ordinary  form,  and  that  it  would  be  quite  a sin  to 
put  him  on  a level  with  their  bonzes ; for,  though 
he  was  so  poor  as  in  reality  to  possess  nothing, 
the  captain  and  the  Portuguese  unanimously  de- 
clared that,  if  Father  Francis  asked  them  to  give 
him  the  ship  with  all  its  valuable  cargo,  they  would 
make  him  master  of  it  in  a moment.” 

In  this  manner  was  Almighty  God  disposing  the 


406 


THE  LIFE  OF 


minds  of  the  princes  of  the  court  of  Bungo  to 
exalt  the  humility  of  his  servant,  and  to  depress 
the  arrogance  of  the  bonzes.  In  the  mean  time, 
the  Portuguese  at  Figen  were  planning  how  they 
could  best  display  their  respect  for  religion  and 
their  affection  for  the  holy  father;  and  it  would 
really  seem  that  God  guided  their  opinions  in  a 
circumstance  so  nearly  connected  with  his  glory; 
for  when  they  began  to  consult  upon  the  manner 
in  which  Father  Francis  ought  to  present  him- 
self before  the  king,  they  unanimously  agreed  that 
it  should  be  in  the  most  solemn  and  magnificent 
style  possible  to  them ; that  he  ought  to  be  well 
dressed,  and  attended  by  a sort  of  court ; that  he 
should  be  conducted  in  state  from  the  ship  to  the 
shore,  and  from  there  to  the  palace  through  the 
most  frequented  streets  of  the  city.  Having  thus 
determined,  they  next  divided  the  offices  and  pre- 
pared the  requisite  habiliments.  When  Xavier 
perceived  these  arrangements,  he  strongly  objected 
to  them : his  humility  could  not  tolerate  them, 
nor  did  he  think  that  the  things  of  God  should  be 
mingled  up  with  the  pomps  of  the  world  : he  said 
it  was  like  gilding  the  cross  of  Jesus  Christ,  to 
condescend  in  this  manner  to  the  weakness  of 
avarice,  and  a sort  of  make-believe,  thus  to  parade 
the  humility  of  the  gospel  to  cheat  the  pride  of 
the  Japanese.  But  Almighty  God,  who  had  sug- 
gested these  views  to  the  Portuguese,  likewise  in- 
duced him  to  yield  to  them, — less  to  their  united 
entreaties,  however,  than  to  the  force  of  their  ar- 
guments. 

They  thus  reasoned.  Since  poverty  is  held  in 
such  abomination  in  Japan,  and  since  the  bonzes 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


40V 


/> f Amanguki  had  so  much  vilified  him  on  this 
account,  it  was  advisable  to  remove  this  injurious 
opinion  from  the  minds  of  the  people,  by  publicly 
manifesting  how  highly  the  Christians  respect  their 
ministers,  whom  they  honor  all  the  more,  the  more 
they  see  them  devote  themselves  to  holy  poverty; 
that  by  acting  thus  they  should  secure  him  the 
respect  of  the  pagans,  who,  being  gross  and  mate- 
rial, could  not  appreciate  the  treasures  of  the  gos- 
pel otherwise  than  when  displayed  with  some  ex- 
trinsic show  : the  honor,  therefore,  was  not  for 
him  : it  passed  over  him  to  Jesus  Christ.  More- 
over, in  proportion  as  the  preacher  was  respected 
by  the  people,  so  w^ould  his  preaching  be  accept- 
able. Then,  as  for  the  pomp  and  display  to  be 
shown  on  the  occasion,  there  would  be  nothing 
of  worldly  vanity  about  it : the  whole  of  it  was 
the  invention  and  the  act  of  solemn  piet}^,  intended 
to  excite  veneration  for  sanctity  as  well  as  for  the 
saint. 

There  were  thirty  respectable  Portuguese  to 
figure  in  the  ceremony,  all  to  be  attired  in  their 
most  magnificent  costumes,  gold  chains,  quilted 
doublets,  and  sashes  gleaming  with  jewels  and 
pearls.  There  was  an  equal  number  of  servants 
and  slaves,  all  well  equipped,  to  accompany  their 
masters.  The  saint  wore  a long  cassock  of  black 
camlet,  with  a handsome  white  surplice  over  it, 
and  a green  velvet  stole  embroidered  and  fringed 
with  gold.  The  five  best-accoutred  gentlemen  made 
a grand  show.  One  of  them  carried  a book 
wrapped  in  white  satin,  (we  know  not  whether 
it  was  a breviary  or  a catechism;)  another  carried 
a pair  of  black  velvet  slippers,  which  happened  to 


408 


THE  LIFE  OF 


be  found  in  the  ship,  and  which  were  thought 
likely  to  add  much  to  the  display;  a third  carried 
an  Indian  cane  handsomely  mounted  with  gold; 
a fourth,  an  image  of  our  blessed  Lady  under  a 
violet-colored  damask  drapery;  and  the  fifth,  a 
magnificent  umbrella.  For  their  transit  from  the 
ship  to  the  city,  a boat  and  two  barges  were  pre- 
pared, curtained  and  screened  with  parti-colored 
damasks  and  rich  tapestry,  together  with  a very 
respectable  band  composed  of  wind  and  string  in- 
struments. Toward  mid-day,  they  set  out  down 
the  river,  proceeding  in  slow  and  measured  time, 
the  band  playing,  streamers  flying,  and  the  saint 
(tears  of  devotion  gliding  down  his  face)  seated 
in  the  most  conspicuous  place.  Nor  was  the  pomp 
of  the  cortege  ready  to  receive  them  in  Funa'i  less 
worthy  of  the  piety  and  magnificence  of  the  king. 
He  had  given  directions  that  it  should  be  of  un- 
usual solemnity : hence  every  one  was  on  the 
tiptoe  of  expectation.  The  three  boats  made 
a grand  display  on  the  water.  Still  more  attractive 
was  the  band,  several  of  the  instruments  never 
before  having  been  heard  in  Japan.  Immense 
was  the  crowd  collected  on  the  water’s  edge.  On 
disembarkation,  the  saint’s  procession  formed  in 
the  following  order.  Captain  Odoard  Gama  walked 
first,  as  major-domo,  bareheaded,  and  carrying  a 
Bengal  cane  Next  to  him,  at  equal  distances, 
followed  the  five  carrying  the  book,  the  slippers, 
the  stick,  the  picture,  and  the  umbrella.  After 
them  walked  the  saint,  surrounded  by  twenty-five 
cavaliers,  and  followed  by  the  whole  troop  of 
attendants.  They  advanced  in  this  style  to  the 
royal  palace,  traversing  the  most  important  parte 


SAINT  FRAN  CIS  XAVIER.  409 

of  the  city.  Every  window  and  balcony  was  filled 
with  spectators;  nay,  the  very  housetops  wero 
covered  in  many  streets.  All  eyes  were  fixed  upon 
the  saint,  who  was  rapt  in  God,  and  whose  majestic 
air,  mingled  with  such  unaffected  modesty,  won 
the  veneration  of  the  spectators.  As  for  the 
bonzes,  they  were  in  a manner  petrified  when 
they  beheld  him  in  every  way  so  different  from 
what  they  had  expected  and  represented. 

On  arriving  at  the  square  before  the  palace,  they 
found  a squadron  of  soldiers,  six  hundred  in  num- 
ber, partly  archers  and  partly  lancers.  As  the 
saint  approached,  Fingendono,  the  commanding 
officer,  made  a sign,  on  which  they  opened  into 
a double  line,  through  which  the  Portuguese  passed 
to  the  entrance.  Here  the  five  gentlemen  bearing 
the  before-named  articles  stopped,  and,  kneeling 
before  Xavier,  presented  him,  one  after  the  other, 
the  gold-headed  cane,  the  velvet  slippers,  (which 
the  bearer  put  on  his  feet,)  whilst  the  third  spread 
the  umbrella  over  his  head.  The  two  carrying 
the  book  and  the  picture  stationed  themselves  on 
either  side  of  him.  All  this  was  done  so  respect- 
fully and  so  gracefully  as  to  delight  the  beholders, 
who,  looking  at  each  other  with  surprise,  were  heard 
to  exclaim,  “ Surely  this  man  is  come  from  heaven 
to  confound  the  envy  and  beat  down  the  pride  of 
our  bonzes/’  Passing  onward  a little,  they  entered 
a large  hall  full  of  people,  who,  from  their  dress 
and  bearing,  seemed  to  be  of  distinction.  Here 
a young  child,  led  by  a venerable  old  man,  ad- 
vanced and  greeted  the  saint  in  these  terms : — 
“ Your  arrival  is  as  gratifying  to  the  king  as  the 
rain  of  heaven  is  to  the  parched  rice-fields  after 
35 


410 


THE  LIFE  OF 


a long  drought.  Enter  with  full  confidence,  for 
the  virtuous  love  you  dearly,  though  the  wicked 
behold  you  with  dismay,  rendering  them  melan 
choly  and  timorous  as  they  would  be  in  a dark 
and  stormy  night.”  Xavier  answered  in  terms 
suited  to  the  person  and  the  occasion;  to  which 
the  child,  with  more  than  the  sense  of  childhood, 
rejoined,  “ Great  must  be  your  fortitude,  that  has 
brought  you  from  the  extremity  of  the  world  into 
a foreign  land,  where  you  are  defamed  and  insulted 
on  account  of  your  poverty;  and  immeasurably 
great  must  be  the  goodness  of  your  God,  who  can 
look  with  pleasure  on  what  men  so  much  abhor, 
and  on  what  the  bonzes  so  strongly  repudiate  as 
to  affirm  that  the  poor  have  no  more  chance  of 
heaven  than  women.”  “May  the  infinite  goodness 
of  the  Lord,”  exclaimed  the  saint,  “disperse  the 
darkness  of  this  silly  ignorance  with  the  light  of 
his  holy  law ! and  may  Japan,  convinced  of  her 
errors,  be  disposed  to  follow  it!”  Delighted  and 
surprised  at  the  intelligence  of  his  youthful  inter- 
locutor, and  continuing  to  converse  with  him, 
they  passed  into  another  hall,  full  of  young  men, 
the  flower  of  the  Japanese  nobility,  all  magni- 
ficently dressed.  As  Xavier  entered,  they  ad- 
vanced and  simultaneously  made  that  reverential 
bow  which  they  call  the  Gromenara,  and  which 
consists  in  bending  forward  three  times  so  low 
that  the  forehead  touches  the  ground : this  is  per- 
formed with  great  dexterity,  but  is  intended  to 
indicate  so  ceremonious  a reverence  as  to  be 
practised  only  by  children  toward  their  father,  or 
by  vassals  toward  their  king.  Then  two  of  them 
welcomed  him  in  the  name  of  their  companions ; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  411 

and  one  of  them  thus  continued: — “May  youi 
arrival,  holy  father  Bonza,  be  as  grateful  to  our 
king  as  the  sweet  smile  of  an  infant  is  dear  to 
the  mother  who  nestles  it  in  her  bosom ! And 
truly  it  will  be  so;  for  we  swear  to  you,  by  the 
hairs  of  our  head,  that  the  very  walls  rejoice 
beneath  your  gaze.  We  are  delighted  to  offer  you 
this  welcome,  and  we  exult  at  your  arrival,  because 
it  will  tend  to  the  honor  of  that  God  of  whom  you 
have  declared  so  many  elevated  and  magnificent 
things  at  Amanguki.”  Having  said  this,  one  of 
them  took  the  saint  by  the  hand  and  led  him 
forward,  making  a sign  to  his  companions  who 
were  following  to  remain  where  they  were.  They 
passed,  through  a corridor  lined  on  either  side 
■with  orange-trees,  into  another  hall,  twice  the 
size  of  those  he  had  already  traversed : here  he 
was  met  by  the  king’s  brother,  who  later  became 
the  King  of  Amanguki.  After  greeting  Xavier 
with  marked  respect,  he  said,  “ This  day  is  a most 
solemn  festival  to  the  whole  court.  In  possessing 
you,  our  lord  the  king  deems  himself  richer  and 
more  fortunate  than  if  all  the  silver  of  the  thirty- 
two  treasuries  of  China  were  at  his  command. 
In  the  mean  time,  I wish  you  an  increase  of  glory 
and  the  accomplishment  of  those  desires  which 
have  brought  you  hither  from  so  great  a distance.” 
Whilst  this  was  being  said,  the  youth  wdio  had  led 
the  father  by  the  hand  retired.  He  next  entered 
an  antechamber,  where  a number  of  cavaliers 
awaited  him,  who,  after  cordially  welcoming  him, 
and  conversing  with  him  for  a few  seconds,  intro- 
duced him  to  the  king,  who  was  standing.  As 
Xavier  made  his  appearance,  the  king  advanced 


412 


THE  LIFE  OF 


five  or  six  steps,  and  thrice  inclined  even  till  lna 
forehead  touched  the  ground,  to  the  great  asto- 
nishment of  the  court.  Xavier  in  his  turn  pros- 
trated, and  would  have  touched  the  royal  foot, 
according  to  Japanese  etiquette  but  the  king 
would  not  allow  it,  and  raised  him  with  his  own 
hands.  He  bade  him  be  seated  at  his  side  and  on 
a level  with  himself:  his  brother  was  seated  a step 
lower,  whilst  the  Portuguese,  the  courtiers,  and 
the  nobles  of  the  kingdom  remained  opposite  to 
them. 

After  the  usual  courtesies  and  ceremonies,  Xa- 
vier began  to  speak, — when  he  clearly  yTet  briefly 
expounded  the  principal  mysteries  of  religion; 
and  God,  who  was  on  his  tongue  no  less  than  in 
his  heart,  enabled  him  to  discourse  so  efficaciously 
that  the  king — a young  man  twenty-five  years 
of  age,  steeped  in  the  common  vices  of  the  coun- 
try, though  in  other  respects  a fine  character — 
declared  that  listening  to  Xavier  was  like  listening 
to  an  oracle  of  heaven ; and  as  soon  as  the  saint 
paused,  he  broke  out  in  the  following  exclamation 
of  mingled  astonishment  and  respect : — “ Who  of 
us  can  ever  understand  the  high  secrets  of  God, 
or  why  he  has  permitted  us  to  live  so  long  in 
darkness,  whilst  this  man  has  the  light  and  the 
full  knowledge  of  truth?  We,  however,  know  the 
opinions  universally  circulated  to  his  prejudice, 
and  how  much  himself  and  his  poverty7  are  de- 
Bpised ; but  he  sustains  and  defends  the  merit  of 
't  so  effectually  that  one  can  no  longer  doubt  it. 
All  that  he  says  is  so  completely  in  accordance 
with  the  dictates  of  right  reason,  that  whoever 
weighs  his  arguments  with  the  balance  of  sound 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


413 


judgment  will  discover  a truth  in  every  one  of 
them, — unlike  our  bonzes,  with  whom  it  is  a 
miracle  not  to  have  one  assertion  in  direct  contra- 
diction to  another.  Hence,  the  more  they  speak 
the  more  they  become  entangled  in  their  own 
words,  ever  confused,  unintelligible,  and  intricate 
in  their  teaching.  What  to-day  they  teach  as  true 
to-morrow  they  repudiate  as  false,  saying  and  un- 
saying, and  then  again  returning  to  their  rejected 
propositions, — thus  equally  confusing  both  them- 
selves and  us.  Keen  and  subtle  as  they  may  be 
on  other  topics,  never  are  they  clear  on  those 
which  refer  to  salvation.  They  keep  us  in  the 
dark,  with  our  minds  ever  wavering  and  per- 
plexed,— an  evident  sign  that  caprice  rules  them, 
and  that  they  possess  not  the  solid  and  immutable 
foundations  of  truth.”  Thus  spoke  the  king;  and 
his  countenance  told  that  his  words  proceeded 
from  his  heart  more  than  from  his  lips. 

There  happened  to  be  present  one  of  their  chief 
bonzes,  called  Fashondono,  a haughty  man,  as 
vicious  as  he  was  reputed  learned.  Taking  to 
himself  a censure  which  was  equally  applicable 
to  all  the  bonzes,  he  with  difficulty  restrained  him- 
self whilst  the  king  was  speaking;  but  no  sooner 
had  he  finished  than,  without  asking  permission 
or  rising  from  his  seat,  he  began  in  a most  insult- 
ing manner  to  reprove  him,  reminding  him  that, 
never  having  studied  at  the  university  of  Fian- 
zima,  where  alone  divine  matters  can  be  learned, 
he  was  not  at  all  qualified  to  pass  judgment,  and 
how  could  he  dare  to  define  what  ought  to  be 
condemned,  or  what  approved?  Let  him  trust  to 
others,  since  he  himself  did  not  understand;  and, 

35* 


414 


THE  LIFE  OF 


if  he  really  wanted  to  know,  was  there  not  a bonze 
ready  to  maintain  the  honor  of  his  class?  The 
king,  without  appearing  in  the  slightest  degree 
discomposed,  calmly  said,  “ If  thou  hast  aught  to 
say,  say  it.”  Whereupon  he  began  in  the  same 
arrogant  style  to  expatiate  on  the  exalted  pro- 
fession and  on  the  sanctity  of  life  of  the  bonzes; 
that  no  doubt  they  were  the  favorites  of  Heaven, 
because  they  observed  the  law  and  taught  the 
people  to  do  so  too;  that  they  spent  the  greater 
part  of  the  long  cold  nights  in  prayer  for  their 
benefactors  and  pious  friends;  that  they  lived 
in  chastity,  abstaining  from  all  sensual  delights; 
fresh  fish  never  appeared  at  their  tables ; that 
they  took  care  of  the  sick,  instructed  children, 
appeased  kings  and  kingdoms,  curbed  the  pride 
of  insolent  plebeians,  defended  the  nobility,  paci- 
fied public  and  private  animosities,  and  maintained 
justice;  that  they  gave  passports  for  the  next 
life,  they  who  procured  them  being  rich  in  heaven. 
He  thus  continued: — “And  how  many  poor  do 
they  not  maintain  ! How  many  orphans  protect ! 
How  many  afflicted  console ! Besides,  the  bonzes 
are  related  to  the  sun,  and  are  the  familiar  friends 
of  the  stars,  the  intimate  confidants  of  the  saints. 
They  have  the  privilege  of  conversing  at  night 
with  any  of  them  whom  they  please : they  can 
draw  them  from  heaven,  to  enjoy  them  to  their 
heart’s  content.”  In  fine,  he  talked  at  such  a rate 
as  would  have  furnished  matter  for  a comedy,  only 
that  he  happened  to  see  some  of  the  spectators 
laughing, — at  which  he  fell  into  such  a passion 
that  he  began  to  abuse  the  king,  who  bade  his 
brother  command  him  to  be  silent;  he  next  ordered 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  415 

his  seat  to  be  taken  from  him,  and  himself  to  be  ex- 
pelled the  room,  saying  his  conduct  had  but  little 
corroborated  all  his  fine  assertions  of  the  sanctity 
of  the  bonzes,  and  that,  whatever  might  be  the  case 
with  the  rest,  for  himself,  he  certainly  seemed  to 
pertain  as  much  to  hell  as  he  affirmed  his  order  did 
to  heaven.  The  king  said  much  more;  but,  before 
he  could  finish,  the  dishonored  bonze  actually  be- 
came wild  with  rage,  and,  looking  menacingly 
round  on  the  spectators,  he  exclaimed,  “ Time  will 
show  that  there  is  not  a man  in  this  world  worthy 
to  serve  me, — neither  you,  nor  your  king,  nor 
any  other  monarch  upon  earth  : not  one  of  you 
shall  even  touch  the  hem  of  my  garment ! ” He 
meant  that  some  day  or  other  he  wTould  be  trans- 
formed and  worshipped  as  a divinity.  The  king 
merely  smiled,  as  if  he  thought  him  mad.  How- 
ever, he  would  have  expressed  some  indignation, 
if  Xavier  had  not  interfered,  by  remarking  that 
the  subject  had  better  be  deferred  to  a calmer  mo- 
ment. The  king  insisted  that  he  should  go  and 
do  penance  for  his  impious  pride  of  comparing 
himself  with  God.  Instead  of  giving  a direct 
answer,  the  bonze  went  away  muttering  till  he 
reached  the  door,  when,  raising  his  voice,  he  ex- 
claimed, “May  the  gods  send  fire  from  heaven, 
and  reduce  to  ashes  all  such  kings  as  thee  !” 

Being  now  free  from  the  annoyance  of  this 
turbulent  bonze,  the  king  and  Xavier  resumed 
their  conversation  on  religion,  none  of  the  other 
bonzes  present  venturing  to  interrupt.  In  the 
mean  time  dinner  was  announced,  the  king  in- 
viting our  saint  to  sit  down  to  tab’e  with  him. 
All  his  excuses  were  unavailing  : the  monarch  in- 


*16 


THE  LIFE  OF 


sisted,  saying,  “ 1 well  know,  my  good  father  and 
friend,  that  you  have  no  need  of  this;  but  when 
you  are  a Japanese  like  us,  you  will  understand 
that  being  invited  to  a king’s  table  is  the  greatest 
sign  of  friendship  and  benevolence  which  he  can 
give.  Much  as  you  are  my  friend,  I deem  myself 
happier  in  being  able  to  invite  you  than  you  are 
honored  in  receiving  the  invitation.”  Hereupon 
Xavier  bent  forward  and  humbly  kissed  the  king’s 
scimitar, — a mark  of  respect  in  that  country, — 
and  said,  with  all  the  fervor  of  his  heart,  “I  be- 
seech Almighty  God  to  reward  you  proportion- 
ately to  all  your  benevolence  in  my  regard.  May 
he  impart  to  your  highness  the  light  of  his  holy 
faith  and  the  merit  of  his  grace,  that  you  may 
serve  him  faithfully  in  this  life  and  enjoy  him 
eternally  in  the  next!”  The  king  embraced  him, 
answering  that  he  too  prayed  to  God  for  the  same 
thing,  but  on  the  express  condition  that  he  and 
Xavier  might  be  near  together  in  heaven,  and, 
indeed,  that  they  should  never  be  separated,  that 
they  might  be  able  freely  and  fully  to  discuss  the 
topics  they  had  just  begun.  Hereupon  they  seated 
themselves  at  table,  all  his  courtiers  and  the  Portu- 
guese eating  on  their  knees,  the  bonzes  present 
actually  fuming  with  rage  at  the  sight,  though 
without  daring  to  say  a word. 

In  consequence  of  these  friendly  beginnings  on 
the  part  of  the  king,  the  people  followed  him  with 
esteem  and  veneration,  whilst  the  bonzes  pursued 
him  with  insult  and  vituperation  : they  frequently 
plotted  against  his  life,  and  on  several  occasions 
he  only  escaped  their  machinations  by  miracle. 

As  to  the  success  of  his  apostolic  ministry  at 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  417 

Funai,  we  have  only  to  say  that  he  drew  innu- 
merable souls  from  the  darkness  of  idolatry  to  the 
light  of  faith  in  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God. 

One  of  the  Portuguese  who  figured  on  the  memo- 
rable occasion  so  lately  described  writes  in  these 
terms: — “ The  holy  man  was  so  taken  up  in  his 
works  of  charity  and  zeal  that  he  had  not  a mo- 
ment’s truce;  so  that  when  we  Portuguese  had 
occasion  to  consult  him  we  were  obliged  to  trespass 
on  his  time  of  rest,  for  two  or  three  hours  of  the 
night  were  all  that  he  could  secure  to  himself  and 
us,  even  for  our  confessions ; and,  as  we  loved  him 
like  children,  we  were  afraid  he  would  quite  sink 
under  so  much  labor,  and  we  entreated  him  to  take  a 
little  care  of  himself,  by  allowing  himself  necessary 
rest  and  food,  for  that  nature  absolutely  required 
this ; but  he  only  answered  us  that,  if  we  really 
loved  him,  we  should  look  upon  him  as  a dead  man, 
as  far  as  corporal  necessities  were  concerned ; and 
he  begged  us  not  to  trouble  ourselves  in  providing 
him  either  bed  or  food,  because  he  found  all  his 
sustenance,  all  his  comfort,  and,  in  a word,  his  All , 
in  delivering  those  souls  from  the  slavery  of  the 
devil, — souls  for  whose  sake  God  had  called  and 
brought  him  thither  from  the  utmost  confines  of 
the  world.”  And,  in  truth,  he  had  enough  to  con- 
sole him  in  this  way,  even  to  forgetfulness  of  self 
and  his  subsistence,  so  copious  was  the  harvest 
yielded  by  this  soil  : it  corresponded  with  the 
sowing, — fatiguing  him  even  more  in  the  reaping 
than  in  the  cultivation.  Incessant  were  his  public 
sermons  and  his  discussions  with  the  bonzes  or 
with  laics;  for,  as  we  have  already  said,  a Japan- 
ese only  yields  to  conviction,  and  his  conviction 
2 B 


418 


THE  LIFE  OF 


must  be  based  on  the  most  solid  arguments.  Once; 
indeed,  by  a powerful  vehemence  of  spirit,  God 
led  over  a considerable  number,  and  this  by  means 
of  one  of  the  most  implacable  enemies  of  the  Chris- 
tian name.  This  was  Saca’i  Eeran,  a celebrated 
bonze  of  Canasam,  and  one  of  their  most  learned 
divines. 

Seeing  that  none  of  his  compeers  ventured  to 
confront  the  saint,  he  resolved  to  make  the  attempt 
himself, — how  happily  for  both,  the  issue  will  show. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  decide  whether  the  victory 
which  the  bonze  gained  over  himself  was  not  quite 
as  great  as  that  of  Xavier  was  illustrious  and 
glorious.  For  when  the  saint  opened  his  eyes, 
with  the  two  lights  of  natural  reason  and  of  the 
gospel,  to  the  clear  knowledge  of  the  truth,  he 
conceived  such  a horror  of  himself  and  the  misera- 
ble blindness  in  which  he  had  hitherto  lived,  up  to 
old  age  which  he  had  already  attained,  that  he  was 
quite  inconsolable,  and  for  very  shame  would  never 
have  shown  his  face  again  in  public,  if  the  Spirit 
of  God  had  not  inwardly  moved  him,  and  had  not 
his  own  conscience  reminded  him  that,  having  been 
for  so  many  years  the  teacher  of  error,  it  behooved 
him  now  to  show  himself  as  the  teacher  of  truth. 
Accordingly,  one  day,  when  the  public  square  of 
Funai  was  unusually  full  of  people,  he  forced  his 
way  through  the  crowd,  and,  ascending  an  emi- 
nence, he  signified  to  the  people  that  he  wished  to 
address  them.  He  was  quickly  surrounded  by  the 
curious  people,  when,  with  many  sighs  and  tears, 
he  knelt  down,  and,  raising  his  eyes  and  arms  to 
heaven,  he  cried  out  aloud,  “O  Jesus  Christ,  true 
and  only  Son  of  God,  my  salvation  and  my  life,  I 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


419 


am  vanquished,  and  to  thee  do  I surrender  myself: 
with  tongue  and  heart  do  I confess  thee  to  be  the 
eternal  and  omnipotent  God;  whilst  to  all  you 
who  hear  me  now,  I beg  pardon  for  having  so 
often  taught  as  truths  things  which  I now  know 
and  declare  to  be  mere  fables  and  falsehoods.” 
How  effectually  this  public  confession  of  the  bonze, 
no  longer  an  idolatrous  bonze,  but  a Christian 
preacher,  moved  all  those  who  heard  it,  will  be 
best  understood  by  what  Xavier  himself  said  on  the 
occasion ; namely,  that  if  he  had  looked  more  to  the 
number  than  to  the  virtues  of  those  Christians,  he 
might  on  that  day  have  given  baptism  to  upward 
of  five  hundred  persons,  and  had  he  been  in  the 
Indies  he  would  have  done  so;  but  in  Japan  the 
spirit  of  inquiry  was  so  active,  and  the  sophistry 
of  the  bonzes  so  specious,  that  it  was  found  neces- 
sary to  have  the  converts  thoroughly  instructed 
before  they  were  admitted  to  baptism.  The  saint 
proceeded  with  equal  caution  toward  the  king, 
whose  early  conversion  he  calculated  upon : he 
did  not  so  much  aim  at  fixing  the  time  for  the 
profession  of  the  faith,  as  the  dispositions  requisite 
for  the  consolidation  of  it  when  once  it  should 
have  taken  root  there : light  of  intellect  was  not 
wanting  there,  but  the  destruction  of  the  brutaliz- 
ing vices  of  which  the  training  of  the  bonzes  had 
made  the  king  but  too  expert  a master, — vices  in 
which  he  wallowed  without  so  much  as  a remorse 
of  conscience. 

However,  as  he  willingly  attended  to  the  dis- 
courses, and  admired  the  sanctity  of  Xavier’s  life, 
a great  reformation  of  conduct  was  soon  perceptible 
at  court  and  throughout  the  whole  kingdom.  In  the 


420 


THE  LIFE  OF 


first  place,  the  king  banished  from  his  palace  the 
one  who  pandered  to  his  grossest  vice ; in  the  next 
place,  he  began  to  have  compassion  on  the  poor, 
whom  the  bonzes  had  taught  him  to  believe  wer« 
hateful  to  God,  and  that  it  was  sinful  to  benefit 
them  and  justice  to  oppress  them:  as  the  mere 
fact  of  their  poverty  rendered  them  guilty  of  every 
crime,  nothing  more  than  their  birth  in  poverty 
was  needed  to  convict  them ; but  Xavier  completely 
removed  this  erroneous  impression,  and  the  king 
from  thenceforward  befriended  them  with  regal 
benevolence. 

The  massacre  of  new-born  babes,  then  so  preva- 
lent, was  also  suppressed : at  the  saint’s  sugges- 
tion, a law  was  promulgated,  imposing  the  pe- 
nalty of  death  on  any  one  who  should  in  future  be 
guilty  of  infanticide.  Many  other  excellent  regula- 
tions were  also  made,  for  the  good  king  seemed 
ever  anxious  to  follow  his  advice;  and  he  used  to 
tell  his  courtiers  that  the  mere  sight  of  Father 
Francis  made  his  soul  tremble  and  his  conscience 
quail;  because  the  countenance  of  the  heavenly 
man,  like  a pure  mirror,  threw  back  upon  him  the 
hideous  spectacle  of  his  own  former  vices,  occasion- 
ing such  a horror  of  himself  that,  were  it  not  for 
his  resolute  intention  of  reforming  his  life,  he  could 
not  have  the  heart  even  to  look  at  him.  . 

While  affairs  were  thus  prospering  with  Xavier 
at  Funai,  Torres  and  Fernandez,  whom  he  had  left 
at  Amanguki,  met  with  more  trials  than  fruit  of 
souls.  No  sooner  had  the  saint  started  for  Bungo 
than  the  bonzes  recovered  all  their  arrogance,  and 
persecuted  the  other  two  in  every  possible  manner: 
under  one  pretext  or  other,  they  had  scarcely  a 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  421 

moment  of  peace.  Their  disputations  on  religious 
topics  were  incessant;  and,  as  the  bonzes  were 
unable  to  overcome  their  adversaries  by  force  of 
argument,  they  had  recourse  to  their  usual  arti- 
fices, and  began  to  circulate  the  most  hideous  re- 
ports about  them;  for  instance,  that  they  privately 
murdered  men  and  infants,  to  eat  their  flesh  and 
suck  their  blood;  that  a certain  devil,  speaking 
by  the  mouth  of  one  of  the  idols,  had  confessed 
that  the  two  Europeans  were  his  disciples,  taught 
in  his  school,  and  were  adepts  in  sorcery,  enchant- 
ment, and  deceit.  Moreover,  several  of  them 
swore  that  they  had  with  their  own  eyes  seen 
a devil  over  their  heads,  who  threw7  something 
like  a thunderbolt  against  the  king’s  palace, 
threatening  the  king’s  person  and  kingdom,  in 
punishment  for  having  given,  if  not  faith,  at  least 
hospitality,  to  the  Portuguese  bonzes.  But  the 
truth  is,  they,  and  they  alone,  were  the  true  devils 
who  deprived  the  king  of  his  life  and  his  son  of 
the  kingdom.  For,  seeing  that  all  their  spiteful 
fictions  led  to  nothing,  and  that  the  people  would 
no  longer  be  led  blindfold  by  them,  they  looked 
elsewhere  for  remedy  and  vengeance.  They  stirred 
up  one  of  the  most  powerful  lords  of  the  kingdom, 
the  personal  enemy  of  the  king,  to  come  with  his 
armed  retainers  suddenly  on  Amanguki,  now  that 
the  prince  was  unsuspecting  and,  comparatively 
speaking,  defenceless.  The  hint  was  acted  upon, 
and  in  twenty  days  from  the  time  that  the  bonzes 
published  the  vision  of  the  thunderbolt,  this  noble- 
man reached  the  city  gates.  Not  to  dwell  on  un- 
necessary details,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  say  that 
the  city  was  completely  sacked,  and  the  unfortu* 

36 


422 


THE  LIFE  OF 


nate  king,  to  avoid  falling  into  the  hands  of  his 
own  vassals,  first  slew  one  of  his  children  and  then 
committed  suicide.  Such  was  the  end  of  the 
miserable  King  of  Amanguki,  and  such  was  the 
fruit  he  gathered  for  his  obstinacy  in  resisting  the 
light  of  the  gospel.  On  the  death  of  the  king, 
the  people  divided  themselves  into  various  factions, 
and  for  eight  days  the  city  was  devastated,  first  by 
one  party  and  then  by  another.  Torres  and  Fer- 
nandez (whom  the  bonzes  confidently  expected  to 
have  been  included  in  the  general  slaughter)  were 
miraculously  preserved  by  God.  The  wife  of  Ne- 
ancondono,  who,  as  the  reader  will  remember, 
was  devotedly  attached  to  Xavier,  hearing  that 
the  two  were  being  hunted  unto  death,  sent  a 
confidential  agent  to  convey  them  secretly  to  her 
palace,  after  which  she  found  means  for  insuring 
their  escape. 

The  bonzes,  who  had  incited  this  insurrection 
with  no  other  view  than  to  the  extermination  of 
the  Christians  and  their  faith,  found  themselves 
but  little  bettered  by  their  change  of  king. 

As  soon  as  the  city  was  restored  to  order,  the 
chiefs  met  together  to  elect  their  future  sovereign, 
when  the  votes  unanimously  were  in  favor  of  the 
brother  of  the  King  of  Bungo,  a noble,  valiant 
young  man.  A solemn  embassy  was  accordingly 
sent  to  the  court  of  Funai,  requesting  the  prince 
to  accept  the  sovereignty  of  Amanguki.  The 
election  was  celebrated  with  public  rejoicings,  in 
the  midst  of  which  no  one  showed  more  delight 
than  Xavier,  whose  heart  told  him  that  God  had 
thus  unexpectedly  given  the  kingdom  to  this  young 
king  for  the  benefit  of  the  Christians ; nor  were 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


423 


his  ideas  unfounded.  At  the  request  of  the  saint, 
the  King  of  Bungo  strongly  recommended  the 
little  church  of  Amanguki  to  the  protection  of  his 
brother,  who  assured  him  that  the  Christians  of 
Amanguki  should  find  in  him  a friend  and  a 
father;  and  so  long  as  God  was  pleased  to  leave 
him  the  peaceful  possession  of  his  kingdom,  he 
faithfully  kept  his  word. 

Xavier  had  now  spent  forty  six  days  at  Funai, 
where  he  had  gained  over  incomparably  more 
souls  than  could  have  been  expected  in  so  short 
a time.  It  was  already  the  proper  season  for  sail- 
ing to  China,  and  accordingly  the  Portuguese  and 
Xavier  began  to  make  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments. They  went  in  a body  to  take  leave  of  the 
king  and  to  thank  him  for  the  many  favors  he 
had  shown  them,  assuring  him  that  on  their  re- 
turn home  they  would  speak  of  him  in  such  terms 
of  commendation  as  should  secure  for  him  the  re- 
membrance and  gratitude  of  the  whole  Portuguese 
nation.  In  his  answer,  the  king  told  them  how 
much  he  envied  them  the  company  of  Father  Fran- 
cis; that  in  losing  him  he  seemed  to  be  left  father- 
less a second  time ; and  that  he  felt  inconsolably 
afflicted  at  the  idea  of  never  seeing  him  again. 
Xavier  kissed  his  hand  with  great  respect,  saying 
that,  go  where  he  would,  he  should  always  carry 
his  highness  in  his  heart;  that  he  would  per- 
petually beseech  Almighty  God  to  reward  him  in 
the  manner  his  benevolence  deserved  : then  the 
two  stepped  aside  from  the  rest,  when  the  saint, 
as  a last  pledge  of  his  love,  gave  him  a few  words 
of  advice,  begging  him  never  to  forget  them,  as 
he  hoped  they  would  lead  to  his  eternal  salvation 


424 


THE  LIFE  OF 


lie  spoke  to  the  following  effect Remember 
that  death  will  soon  put  an  end  to  all  goods  and 
ills  of  this  world ; whereas  the  life  to  come  is  as 
immortal  and  durable  as  eternity  itself.  Where 
now  are  all  the  emperors  and  kings  that  have 
ever  ruled  Japan  ? What  has  become  of  them  ? 
What  avails  it  now  to  them  that  formerly  they 
had  a brief  life  of  happiness?  What  avails  the 
remembrance  of  this  happiness,  if  they  are  con- 
demned forever  to  the  flames  of  hell?  What 
wisdom  can  there  be  in  risking  one's  soul  for  eter- 
nity, merely  to  enjoy  the  momentary  delights  of 
this  world  ? There  is  no  kingdom,  no  empire, 
not  even  the  sovereignty  of  the  whole  world,  the 
loss  of  which  would  not  be  gain,  if  by  such  loss 
heaven  could  be  won,  and  that  state  of  glory  which, 
when  once  acquired,  never  can  be  lost, — no,  not 
even  through  the  endless  lapse  of  a whole  eternity. 
Of  these  truths,  all  your  ancestors,  and  likewise 
all  Japan,  had  been,  by  the  secret  judgments  of 
God,  left  in  ignorance.  Reflect,  therefore,  on 
what  a terrible  account  and  what  severe  punish- 
ment will  be  yours  if  you  still  remain  in  your 
voluntary  blindness  and  brutal  voluptuousness, 
now  that  God  has  so  wonderfully  favored  you  as 
to  bring  the  light  of  the  gospel  from  the  farther- 
most parts  of  the  world  into  your  ver}T  house. 
God  forbid  that  this  should  happen  ! As  long  as  1 
live,  I shall  never  cease  pouring  forth  prayers  and 
tears ; and  whether  alive  or  dead,  or  wherever  I 
may  be,  no  news  that  can  possibly  be  brought  me 
will  be  more  gratifying  than  this,  that  the  King 
of  Bungo  had  put  himself  in  the  way  of  salvation 
by  accepting  baptism,  and  had  granted  the  same 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  425 

privilege  to  all  liis  subjects.”  How  much  these 
words  affected  the  king  may  be  inferred  from  the 
fact  that  he  was  seen  by  his  courtiers  (to  their 
great  surprise)  to  weep  several  times  in  the  course 
of  the  conversation. 

Whilst  the  Portuguese  had  been  preparing  for 
their  departure,  the  bonzes  had  been  machinating 
against  them,  and  more  especially  against  Xavier, 
who  was  specially  odious  to  them.  They  thought 
that,  if  he  went  away  thus  triumphant,  shame  would 
forever  be  attached  to  their  name:  they  consulted 
together,  and  resolved  on  vengeance,  which  was 
to  be  attained  by  rousing  the  people  of  Funai,  as 
those  of  Amanguki  had  been  excited, — when  the 
Portuguese  would  be  slaughtered  and  their  ship 
burned.  Then  they  were  to  fall  upon  the  king, 
who,  with  his  whole  race,  was  to  be  put  to  the 
sword.  Having  so  far  planned,  their  next  object 
was  to  degrade  the  saint  in  the  opinion  of  the 
people;  for  which  purpose  the  same,  or  even 
worse  reports  were  circulated,  than  those  so  re- 
cently related,  and  which  had  occasioned  the  in- 
surrection at  Amanguki.  But  all  the  false  asser- 
tions and  extravagant  predictions  of  the  bonzes 
proved  useless  to  their  cause,  for  God  destroyed 
the  enchantment  and  scattered  their  words  to  the 
winds,  the  Portuguese  in  the  mean  time  continu- 
ing their  preparations,  and  being,  as  we  may  say, 
on  the  point  of  weighing  anchor.  The  bonzes, 
therefore,  had  to  devise  some  other  plan  for  the 
redemption  of  their  lost  honor.  At  about  twelve 
leagues’  distance  from  Funai  there  was  a famous 
monastery  of  bonzes,  the  chief  of  whom  was  called 
Fookarandono.  He  was  looked  upon  as  one  of 
36* 


426 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  most  learned  men  of  the  kingdom,  and  waa 
much  respected  on  this  account,  as  well  as  for  his 
rank  and  authority.  He  had  been  for  thirty  years 
their  first  theologian,  the  best  versed  in  all  their 
rites  and  ceremonies,  and,  in  a word,  was  to  his 
followers  an  oracle  of  more  than  human  wisdom. 
How,  if  the  bonzes  of  Funai  could  but  get  him  to 
the  city,  they  hoped  he  would  be  able  to  confound 
and  silence  Xavier  at  the  first  interview,  and  this 
would  be  quite  enough  to  retrieve  their  lost  repu- 
tation. They  accordingly  wrote  to  him,  saying 
that  if  he  had  any  veneration  for  the  camis,  or 
cared  for  the  honor  of  the  bonzes,  he  would  not 
refuse  to  undertake  the  short  journey  from  thence 
to  Funai, — that  after  two  or  three  days  they  would 
themselves  carry  him  back  on  their  shoulders  in 
triumph  to  his  monastery,  and,  in  conclusion,  in- 
formed him  of  the  reasons  why  they  so  much 
pressed  the  journey.  The  bonze,  who  was  excess- 
ively proud,  flattered  himself  that  he  could  easily 
conquer  Xavier,  in  which  case  he  would  acquire 
immense  glory,  as  being  able  to  do  more  than  all 
the  bonzes  of  Funai  put  together.  He  therefore 
accepted  the  invitation,  and  set  off  without  delay, 
accompanied  by  six  of  his  most  able  disciples.  Just 
at  the  moment  when  Xavier  and  the  Portuguese 
were  taking  leave  of  the  king,  a messenger  an- 
nounced the  arrival  of  Fookarandono,  come  to  pay 
his  respects  to  his  majesty  and,  in  his  presence,  to 
have  a discussion  with  the  foreign  bonze.  At  the 
name  of  Fookarandono  the  king  showed  some  an- 
noyance, and,  without  noticing  the  messenger,  he 
began  to  think  how  he  could  prevent  the  interview 
demanded ; for,  as  he  afterward  owned,  he  feared 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  427 

that  Xavier  would  he  unequal  to  contend  with  the 
redoubted  Fookarandono,  and,  as  he  loved  him 
tenderly,  he  could  not  bear  the  idea  of  exposing 
him  to  the  risk  of  a defeat.  He  was  making  up 
his  mind  to  decline  receiving  the  old  bonze,  wThen 
Xavier,  whose  penetration  guessed  the  cause  of  the 
perplexity,  entreated  him  to  admit  the  new  visitor, 
and  gave  him  full  liberty  to  say  whatever  he 
pleased,  either  in  discussion  or  disputation,  saying 
to  the  king,  u Have  no  fear  on  my  account.  The 
Christian  religion,  which  I teach,  is  not  the  off- 
spring of  any  worldly  academy,  nor  does  it  de- 
pend on  human  intellect.  It  is  a heavenly  doc- 
trine, of  which  God  himself  is  the  master;  nor 
would  all  the  bonzes  of  Japan,  nor  all  the  wise 
men  of  this  world,  be  able  to  overpower  it,  any 
more  than  a cloud  could  destroy  the  light  and  heat 
of  the  sun.”  Hereupon  the  king  gave  orders  for 
the  entrance  of  Fookarandono. 

Having  made  the  three  usual  salutations  to  the 
king,  he  gave  a look  of  contempt  at  the  saint,  and, 
seating  himself  at  his  side,  thus  accosted  him  : — 
“ I know  not,  my  fine  fellow,  whether  you  recog- 
nise me,  or,  rather,  whether  you  recollect  me?” 
Xavier  replied  that,  to  the  best  of  his  recollection . 
he  had  never  seen  him.  Whereupon  the  bonze, 
turning  to  his  companions,  said,  with  an  ironical 
laugh,  that  little  good  was  to  be  done  with  a man 
who,  having  heretofore  transacted  business  with 
him  hundreds  of  times,  either  did  not,  or  affected  not 
to,  recollect  any  thing  about  it.  Fixing  his  eyes  im- 
pudently on  the  saint,  he  thus  proceeded  : — u Have 
you  any  of  those  bales  of  silk  remaining,  some  of 
which  you  sold  me,  fifteen  hundred  years  ago,  at 


428 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  port  of  Freriajoma  V*  Our  holy  apostle,  still 
retaining  his  dignified  composure,  told  him  that 
he  had  never  been  a merchant,  nor  had  he  ever 
visited  the  port  of  Frenajoma;  nor  could  he  un- 
derstand how  they  could  have  had  any  commercial 
relationship  fifteen  hundred  years  back,  seeing 
that  neither  one  nor  the  other  was  yet  a hundred 
years  old.  Here  Fookarandono  raised  his  eye- 
brows in  astonishment,  and,  assuming  the  expres- 
sion of  an  oracle,  replied,  u If  you  do  not  know  it, 
listen  to  me,  and  let  me  teach  you,  that  you  may 
be  astonished  at  the  profound  wisdom  of  the  Ja- 
panese bonzes.”  And  he  undertook  to  explain 
that  the  soul  has  no  beginning,  but  represents  a 
variety  of  personages  on  the  theatre  of  this  world, 
passing  continually  from  one  body  to  another, 
more  or  less  perfect,  according  to  their  antecedent 
merits.  Xavier  at  once  recognised  this  as  the 
doctrine  of  the  Pythagoreans,  so  completely  scouted 
and  derided  in  the  universities  of  Europe.  “In 
what  manner,  and  with  what  power  of  argument, 
he  confuted  these  absurdities,”  writes  the  Portu- 
guese who  was  present,  and  from  whose  account 
we  have  copied  the  scene,  “ I am  unable  to  detail, 
nor  have  I learning  enough  for  the  purpose  : suffice 
it  to  say  that  I do  know  the  poor  bonze,  however 
much  he  shouted  and  however  much  he  twisted, 
could  not  extricate  himself : so  it  suited  him  bet- 
ter to  change  the  subject  and  propose  another, 
worthy  of  the  degraded  soul  of  a Fookarandono, 
who  wallowed  in  the  infamous  vices  of  the  Sodom- 
ites. He  asked  the  saint  how  he  dared  to  con- 
stitute himself  a legislator,  and  condemn  an  act 
which  was  allowed  by  nature,  and  which  had 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  429 

always  been  practised  unrestrainedly  in  Japan.” 
The  question  went  like  an  arrow  to  the  pure  soul 
of  Xavier,  whose  face  was  suffused  with  blushes; 
but,  as  the  honor  of  God  compelled  him  to  apply 
his  tongue  to  so  foul  a subject,  he  so  vehemently 
proclaimed  the  enormous  abuse  of  this  excess,  that 
the  king  and  the  whole  court  were  ashamed  of  it; 
and  the  more  the  bonze  strove  to  justify  it,  the 
more  indignant  did  the  audience  become,  till  at 
length  he  began  to  insult  and  abuse  every  one 
there.  Some  of  the  most  authoritative  reproved 
him,  and  threatened  him  as  he  deserved,  whilst 
others  bade  him  take  a lesson  from  the  modest 
humility  of  the  foreign  bonze.  At  length,  howling 
like  a wounded  animal,  he  was  driven  from  the 
palace,  the  king  at  the  same  time  assuring  him 
that,  were  it  not  for  the  garb  he  wore,  he  would 
order  his  head  to  be  struck  off.  The  bonzes  were 
terribly  afflicted  at  the  dishonor  of  their  chief: 
they  spent  the  whole  night  in  devising  some 
scheme  of  vengeance,  and  decided  that  their  best 
plan  would  be  to  represent  the  cause  of  Fookaran- 
dono  as  the  cause  of  religion,  as  if  all  the  gods  of 
the  country  had  been  insulted  in  his  person.  Con- 
sequently, the  following  morning,  the  doors  of  all 
the  temples  remained  shut,  and  the  city  wras  de- 
clared profaned  and  under  an  interdict.  This 
stratagem  raised  the  people  to  a state  of  frenzy, 
and,  urged  on  by  the  bonzes,  they  seemed  deter- 
mined to  take  up  arms  against  the  king  and  against 
the  saint.  Finding  themselves  insecure  in  tho 
city,  the  Portuguese  were  for  retiring  to  their 
ship,  and  used  their  best  endeavors  to  persuade, 
the  holy  father  to  accompany  them;  but  be  pro- 


430 


THE  LIFE  OF 


tested  that  nothing  should  induce  him  to  forsake 
his  children,  or  to  give  such  a subject  of  triumph 
to  the  enemies  of  religion.  The  Portuguese  had 
removed  their  vessel  to  some  distance  from  the 
port  of  Fegen,  intending  to  set  sail  as  soon  as  a 
favorable  breeze  should  arise ; but,  reflecting  in 
the  mean  time  on  the  dangers  to  which  Xavier 
would  be  left  exposed,  they  felt  something  of 
shame,  and  resolved  to  make  another  attempt  to 
get  him  on  board  among  them.  Captain  Odoard 
Gama  himself  undertook  the  task.  On  arriving  at 
Funai,  he  found  him  encouraging  some  of  his 
Christians  in  a little  cabin.  He  warmly  urged  the 
saint  to  agree  to  the  wishes  of  himself  and  his 
companions,  and  to  place  his  life  in  safety  at  once 
by  accompanying  them  on  their  homeward  voj^age. 
We  give  Xavier’s  answer  in  his  own  words,  as  re- 
ported by  Gama.  “ Ah,  my  lord  captain  and  my 
dear  brother,  would  that  I were  happy  enough  to 
deserve  what  you  call  the  misfortune  of  being  slain 
for  Christ ! In  truth,  I am  not  worthy  that  God 
should  honor  me  with  such  a favor;  but,  not 
to  render  myself  still  more  undeserving  of  it,  I will 
on  no  account  either  go  on  board  your  ship  or  quit 
this  place.  What  a scandal  would  not  my  flight 
occasion  to  this  little  rising  Church ! If  they 
found  me  so  practically  deficient  in  wThat  I havo 
taught  them,  wTould  it  not  be  a pretext  of  excuse 
for  them  if  they  should  prove  unfaithful  to  the 
promises  they  make  to  God  ? If  you  hold  your- 
self obliged  to  protect  and  defend  the  passengers 
who  intrust  themselves  to  your  care,  am  not  1 still 
more  obliged  to  remain  here  and  die,  if  need  be 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


431 


for  a God  who  has  so  mercifully  given  his  life  for 
me  by  dying  for  me  on  a cross  ?” 

Nothing  more  was  requisite  to  give  a complete 
change  to  Gama’s  views.  He  returned  to  the  ship, 
and,  presenting  himself  before  his  associates,  he 
told  them  that  if  they  were  determined  on  return- 
ing to  the  Indies,  he  resigned  his  ship,  furnished 
as  it  was,  to  their  hands : he  left  them  at  full 
liberty  to  go  as  they  pleased;  but  that,  for  his 
part,  he  was  determined  to  remain  with  Father 
Francis,  even  at  the  expense  of  his  ship,  merchan- 
dise, and  life.  The  noble  generosity  of  the  captain 
found  a response  in  the  hearts  of  all  the  rest,  who 
unanimously  resolved  to  stay  and  sharo  his  fate. 
As  they  said,  so  they  did.  They  drove  their  ship 
again  into  port,  and,  leaving  a few  hands  on  board 
for  safety,  they  set  off  to  Funai  in  search  of  the 
saint.  Their  unexpected  appearance  occasioned 
great  delight  to  the  Christians,  and  equal  astonish- 
ment to  the  pagans,  who,  as  soon  as  their  little 
burst  of  fury  was  over,  loudly  applauded  this  act 
of  fidelity  and  courage. 

The  bonzes,  perceiving  this  change  in  the  people, 
and  the  continued  protection  of  the  Portuguese 
over  the  saint,  almost  lost  heart.  Despairing  of 
being  able  to  prevail  by  measures  of  force,  they 
determined  on  having  another  trial  of  disputation, 
and  thus,  if  possible,  recover  their  lost  honor. 
They  presented  a petition  to  this  effect  to  the 
king,  who  granted  it  on  this  express  condition, 
that  the  dispute  should  consist  of  argument,  and 
not  of  shouts : that  the  spectators  should  be  the 
judges,  and  decide  between  the  contending  parties: 
and  that  if  Fookarandono  should  be  defeated  the 


432 


THE  LI  EE  OF 


rest  of  the  bonzes  should  pledge  themselves  to  be 
quiet,  and  not  molest  such  of  the  people  as  chose 
to  become  Christians.  They  were  obliged,  much 
against  their  will,  to  agree  to  this  arrangement:  it 
was  particularly  galling  to  them  that  laics  should 
be  constituted  judges  on  religious  questions;  but 
they  were  obliged  to  submit.  At  the  hour  ap- 
pointed on  the  following  day,  Fookarandono  made 
his  appearance  at  the  palace-gates,  escortod  by  a 
troop  of  three  thousand  bonzes, — so  that  he  seemed 
disposed  to  give  battle  rather  than  to  argue. 

The  king,  perhaps,  was  apprehensive  of  some 
tumult,  for  he  gave  orders  that  only  four  of  them 
should  be  admitted,  and  genteelly  kept  the  others 
at  a distance  by  saying  that  it  would  be  disgraceful 
for  so  many  to  enter  into  discussion  against  one. 

The  Portuguese,  on  their  side,  were  determined  to 
honor  the  saint  by  accompanying  him  in  grand 
procession  and  in  their  gala-dresses.  They  stood 
round  him  bare-headed,  and  knelt  on  one  knee  as 
they  addressed  him  : the  bonzes  were  bursting 
with  rage  as  they  witnessed  these  marks  of  respect. 
Even  Fookarandono  himself  seemed  intimidated, 
now  that  he  was  shorn  of  his  plumes  and  was 
obliged  to  enter  the  arena  unattended  by  his  three 
thousand  followers : he  was  overheard  telling  the 
four  at  his  side  that  he  should  deem  himself  for- 
tunate if  he  escaped  as  well  as  he  did  on  the  pre- 
vious occasion. 

On  entering  the  regal  hall,  where  the  prime 
nobility  of  Funai  were  assembled,  the  king  received 
the  saint  most  graciously,  and  spent  some  time  in 
familiar  conversation  with  him;  after  which,  each 
one  took  his  appointed  seat. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


433 


At  the  king’s  command,  the  father  was  the  first 
to  speak : he  began  by  asking  Fookarandono  the 
reason  why  he  deemed  the  Christian  religion  de- 
serving of  prohibition.  The  bonze  replied  that  it 
ought  to  be  prohibited  because  it  was  totally  new, 
and  contrary  to  the  most  ancient  laws  of  Japan ; 
and  because  it  declared  that  Shacca,  Ami  da,  and 
other  national  deities  were  not  true  gods;  and, 
lastly,  because  it  destroyed  the  privileges  granted 
by  the  supreme  power  of  Zasso  and  the  Dairi : (by 
this  he  meant  the  unbridled  license  so  universally 
encouraged  with  regard  to  libertinism.)  Having 
said  this,  he  was  silent,  and  the  king  desired  Xa- 
vier to  answer  him,  who  immediately  arose,  made 
a profound  reverence  to  his  majesty,  and  then 
asked  his  adversary  which  proposition  he  should 
answer  first.  The  bonze  selected,  if  not  the  most 
powerful,  at  least  the  most  plausible,  viz.,  the  ex- 
clusion of  Shacca,  Amida  and  Co.  from  the  cata- 
logue of  the  gods.  Hereupon  the  saint  entered 
into  an  explanation  of  what  must  be  the  nature 
of  God,  and  of  his  divine  attributes  of  eternity, 
omnipotence,  immensity,  independence,  and  his 
other  infinite  perfections:  from  all  this  he  deduced, 
as  a necessary  consequence,  that  there  could  not 
be  more  than  one  God.  the  sole  Creator  and  Master 
of  all  things,  and  therefore  there  could  be  no  true 
divinity  in  the  many  creatures  they  adored,  more 
especially  as  (according  to  the  admission  of  the 
Japanese  themselves)  many  of  their  gods  had  not 
only  been  men  like  them,  subject  to  age  and  death, 
of  limited  power  and  wisdom,  but  had  actually  led 
most  vicious  lives,  more  deserving  of  everlasting 
reprobaticn  and  punishment  than  of  divine  honors 
2 C 37 


484 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Tho  words  of  Xavier  seemed  so  solid  and  so  evident 
that  a shout  of  applause  burst  from  the  whole  audi- 
ence. But  Fookarandono  would  not  be  silenced . 
he  protested  against  this  simultaneous  decision, 
but  to  no  purpose ; therefore,  without  requiring  an 
answer  to  his  other  two  propositions,  he  asked  the 
saint  what  authority  he  had  for  condemning  the 
letters  of  insurance  for  the  next  life  which  the 
bonzes  were  in  the  habit  of  giving, — letters  which 
were  of  such  service  to  those  souls  who  carried 
them  with  them.  This  question  gave  Xavier  a 
fine  opportunity  of  explaining  the  species  of  beati- 
tude peculiar  to  the  soul  when  separated  from  its 
body  : u it  does  not  consist  in  wealth,  or  gold  and 
silver,  nor  in  sumptuous  palaces  and  grand  ban- 
quets, as  the  bonzes  foolishly  affirm,  who  promise 
their  votaries  a remuneration  of  ten  for  one  on  the 
gifts  they  bestow  on  themselves.”  He  next  demon- 
strated that  the  happiness  of  heaven  is  not  to  be 
purchased  with  money,  but  with  sanctity  of  life 
during  our  pilgrimage  on  earth;  and  that  it  by  no 
means  depended  on  the  capricious  decisions  of  the 
bonzes,  who  pretended  to  bestow  it  on  the  rich, 
provided  they  paid  handsomely  for  it,  and  entirely 
excluded  the  poor,  because  they  had  not  the  means 
of  satisfying  the  avarice  of  those  who  furnished 
tne  said  bills  of  exchange.  "And,”  exclaimed  he, 
" what  fault  is  it  in  them  to  have  been  born  poor? 
did  they  regulate  the  circumstances  of  their  pa- 
rents ? Could  there  possibly  be  a nation  in  the 
world  so  barbarous  as  to  make  a capital  offence  of 
poverty  ? Is  it  likely  that  God,  so  just  and  so  merci- 
ful, will  condemn  them  to  eternal  flames  ?”  The 
keen  intellect  of  the  Japanese  appreciated  these 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  435 

truths,  and  gave  signs  of  great  approbation,  to  the 
infinite  annoyance  of  the  bonzes;  and  thus  ended 
another  day’s  argumentation. 

The  dispute  was  renewed  the  following  day, 
when  Fookarandono  came,  accompanied  by  six  of 
his  most  famous  bonzes;  nor  did  the  king  make 
any  objection,  because  he  saw  that  the  more  nu- 
merous were  the  saint’s  opponents,  the  more  glory 
redounded  to  the  law  of  Jesus  Christ  in  their  dis- 
comfiture. The  subject  of  discussion  chosen  by 
the  bonzes  was  thus  proposed  by  one  of  them : — 
“ Whence  proceeds  the  inequality  which  we  per- 
ceive among  mankind  ? Why  do  some  enjoy 
such  unbounded  wealth  and  others  languish  in 
such  miserable  penury?  If  God  is  just,  this  can 
only  proceed  from  the  merits  of  the  one  and  the 
demerits  of  the  other : hence  we  must  infer  that 
all  the  rich  are  virtuous,  and  all  the  poor  wicked; 
so  that  the  bonzes  have  reason  to  promise  heaven 
to  the  rich,  and  to  threaten  the  poor  with  hell.” 
The  saint  found  no  difficulty  in  unveiling  the  falla- 
cies of  this  sophism;  asking  how  riches  and  poverty 
could  be  attributed  to  the  merits  or  demerits  of 
individuals,  since,  generally  speaking,  both  rich 
and  poor  are  born  so,  so  that  their  lot  is  decided 
before  they  have  the  power  either  of  action  or  of 
merit;  besides,  are  not  the  rich  frequently  noto- 
riously more  wicked  than  the  poor  ? It  must  then  be 
acknowledged  that  these  transitory  advantages  are 
not  dispensed  by  God  in  proportion  to  our  virtues  or 

Iour  vices.  Neither  does  it  follow  from  this  that  God 
is  unjust ; because  he  who  gives  from  his  own  store 
is  master  of  what  he  gives,  and  may  therefore  give 
i to  whom  he  pleases,  and  as  much  as  he  pleases,  with- 


436 


THE  LIFE  OF 


out  the  slightest  injury  to  any  one.  Moreover,  the 
poor  have  no  great  reason  to  regret  that  labor  has 
fallen  to  their  share,  because,  after  all,  temporal 
life  is  subservient  to  that  which  is  eternal;  and  as 
this  is  acquired  by  the  rich  by  means  of  alms-deeds 
and  other  good  works,  so  is  it  likewise  accessible 
to  the  poor  by  means  of  patience  and  submission 
to  the  divine  will : indeed,  it  may  be  more  easily 
attained  by  the  poor,  because  they  have  not  the 
same  incentives  to  vice  as  the  rich  have.  Scarcely 
had  the  saint  concluded  these  remarks,  when  an- 
other of  the  bonzes,  contradicting  the  first  speaker, 
would  give  expression  to  a new  idea,  which  he 
thought  vastly  clever.  He  said  that  all  men,  not- 
withstanding their  diversity  of  circumstances, 
might  enjoy  themselves  very  much  in  this  life, 
because  each  one  might  find  innumerable  delights 
in  his  own  sphere:  “ Therefore,”  said  he,  “let  men 
enjoy  what  they  can  here  below,  without  caring 
about  a paradise  which  belongs  to  others.  Yes, 
truly,  heaven  after  death  is  most  justly  due  to  our 
miserable  cattle,  for  they  have  no  happiness  in 
this  world, — the  greater  part  laboring  for  us  and 
ministering  to  our  wants.  See,  then,  how  useless  is 
all  the  trouble  taken  by  this  European  bonze,  who 
is  come  all  the  way  to  Japan  to  show  us  the  way 
to  a heaven  which  after  all  belongs  only  to  brute 
beasts.”  Our  saintly  apostle  could  scarcely  re- 
strain his  tears  at  this  deplorable  instance  of  spi- 
ritual blindness:  overflowing  with  indignant  zeal, 
he  triumphantly  refuted  the  absurdity  of  such  a 
doctrine,  and  was  cheered  by  the  plaudits  of  the 
whole  assembly. 

The  bonzes  attempted  to  introduce  other  sub- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


437 


jects  of  discussion ; but  such  contradictions  arose 
among  themselves,  that,  unmindful  of  the  respect 
due  to  those  who  were  present,  they  assailed  one 
another  unmercifully.  Some  of  the  cavaliers  en- 
joyed the  scene  amazingly,  and  urged  on  the  con- 
flict, till  the  king,  disgusted  with  it  all,  turned  off 
and  went  away.  St.  Francis  was  conducted  to 
his  lodgings  by  the  Portuguese,  who  spent  the 
night  with  him  in  sweet  converse  on  spiritual 
topics,  in  the  course  of  which  he  very  humbly  en- 
treated them  to  recommend  him  to  God,  that  he 
might  give  honor  to  his  holy  name  in  those  dispu* 
tations. 

The  next  day  the  king  went  out  into  the  town, 
and  purposely  passed  the  house  where  the  saint 
lodged,  sending  one  of  his  gentlemen  to  invite  him 
to  a hunting-match  in  his  garden,  reminding  him 
to  come  well  armed,  as  his  majesty  expected  him 
to  bring  to  the  ground  at  least  a couple  out  of  the 
seven  hawks  that  attempted  to  tear  his  eyes  out 
the  day  before.  Xavier  immediately  understood 
the  witty  allusion  of  the  king,  and  hastened  to  the 
door  to  thank  him ; whereupon,  in  sign  of  cordial 
affection,  he  took  the  saint  by  the  hand  and  walked 
with  him  through  all  the  principal  streets,  to  the 
astonishment  of  the  citizens,  as  this  was  a very 
unusual  mark  of  distinction. 

On  their  arrival  at  the  palace  they  found  an 
immense  concourse  of  the  nobility  awaiting  them. 
The  bonzes  wished  to  resume  the  points  already  dis- 
cussed and  judged;  but  the  king  refused  to  allow 
this,  and  accordingly  they  proceeded  to  more  diffi 
cult  and  subtle  points,  taken  chiefly  from  the  dis- 
courses which  they  had  heard  given  by  the  saint. 

37* 


438 


THE  LIFE  OF 


The  first  difficulty  was  this When  God 
created  the  angels,  he  either  foresaw  that  Lucifer 
and  his  accomplices  would  rebel,  or  he  did  not 
foresee  it.  If  he  did  not  foresee,  you  must  admit 
his  ignorance;  in  which  case  he  is  not  all-perfect, 
as  you  affirm.  If  he  did  foresee  it,  he  must  either 
be  accused  of  cruelty  or  malice,  since  he  willed  the 
sin  of  those  unfortunate  beings;  and,  with  the  sin, 
he  must  have  willed  their  ruin.”  On  hearing  this 
blasphemous  proposition,  the  saint  turned  to  the 
Portuguese  captain  who  sat  next  to  him,  and  said, 
u Observe  how  the  devil  speaks  in  his  own  favor 
by  the  mouth  of  this  man!” 

The  second  question  was  to  the  following  effect : 
— “ When  God  created  Adam,  he  either  foresaw  his 
fall,  or  he  did  not.”  From  which  they  drew  the 
same  conclusion  as  before. 

The  last  query  was  this  : — “ Since,  after  the  first 
sin,  God  was  pleased  to  promise  mankind  a remedy, 
why  did  he  allow  so  many  ages  to  pass  before  the 
Incarnate  Word  came  forth  on  earth?  What  fault 
had  they  been  guilty  of  who  lived  before  the 
coming  of  the  remedy  ? And  why  were  they 
doomed  to  perish  ? Such  partiality  is  unworthy 
of  a God  whom  you  represent  as  being  infinitely 
good.” 

Xavier  replied  to  the  first  two  points  according 
to  the  teaching  of  the  doctors;  namely,  that  God 
undoubtedly  foresaw  what  would  follow  the  crea- 
tion of  the  angels  and  of  man,  but  he  did  not  on 
that  account  decree  or  will  those  sins,  nor  the  ruin 
consequent  upon  them;  still  less  did  he  take 
pleasure  in  or  desire  them.  He  permitted  them, 
inasmuch  as  he  did  not  prevent  them ; and  this,  in 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  430 

order  that  they  should  not  be  deprived  of  the  free 
action  of  their  will : hence  it  does  not  follow  that 
God  can  be  considered  either  cruel  or  malignant. 
With  regard  to  the  epoch  of  the  Incarnation,  he 
said  that  immediately  after  the  fall  of  Adam  the 
goodness  of  the  Lord  gave  a universal  remedy  to 
all  mankind,  re-establishing  its  claim  to  paradise 
and  appointing  the  means  whereby  to  possess  it. 
And  although,  according  to  the  decrees  of  his 
Almighty  Providence,  he  delayed  being  made  man 
for  so  many  ages,  the  merits  of  an  incarnate  God 
were  of  such  infinite  value  that  their  efficacy  was 
not  to  be  restrained  to  future  times  only : it  might 
equally  be  extended  to  the  past.  The  holy  man 
endeavored  to  explain  these  things  in  a manner 
suited  to  the  capacity  of  men  unused  to  scholastic 
subtleties;  but,  as  every  one  knows,  it  is  much 
easier  to  expose  doubts  than  to  comprehend  the 
solution  of  them,  especially  when  they  refer  to  such 
sublime  principles  as  these.  The  bonzes,  therefore, 
were  dissatisfied  with  these  answers,  which  wrere 
above  their  understandings;  so  they  were  obsti- 
nate in  their  blindness,  and  added  mockery  to 
insult;  till  the  indignant  king,  rising,  uttered  a 
sentence,  wise  indeed  coming  from  the  lips  of  so 
young  a man,  and  he  a pagan.  “They  must  re- 
main in  error,”  said  he,  “who  by  haughty  opposi- 
tion would  presume  to  fathom  that  truth,  which 
can  only  be  intelligible  to  the  most  elevated  faith.” 
Having  said  this,  he  took  the  saint  by  the  hand, 
and  going  forth  from  the  palace,  followed  by  his 
courtiers,  he  accompanied  him  all  the  way  to  his 
lodging;  the  bonzes,  in  the  mean  time,  yielding  to 


440 


THE  LIFE  OF 


a frenzy  of  rage,  and  invoking  the  vengeance  of 
Shacca  and  Amida  on  the  king. 

The  disputation  being  now  brought  to  a close, 
the  saint  prepared  for  his  departure  to  Malacca, 
after  having  spent  about  fifty  days  at  Funai  and 
rather  more  than  two  years  and  three  months  in 
Japan.  After  again  taking  leave  of  the  king,  and 
the  new  Christians,  with  tears  on  all  sides,  he 
entered  the  ship  of  Odoard  Gama  on  the  20th  of 
November,  1551. 

Before  we  hid  a final  adieu  to  Japan,  a few  in- 
teresting circumstances  connected  with  the  career 
of  our  glorious  apostle  must  not  entirely  be  passed 
over.  We  know  not  the  precise  dates  of  their 
occurrence,  but  we  do  know  that  they  occurred  in 
Japan. 

One  Sunday,  when  the  saint  had  been  preaching 
to  a vast  concourse  of  Christians  and  idolaters,  a 
certain  pagan  merchant,  who  had  been  blind  for 
many  years,  approached  him,  and,  deploring  his 
misfortune,  besought  the  man  of  God  to  have  com- 
passion on  him,  and  to  cure  him.  Xavier,  as  usual, 
raised  his  eyes  and  heart  to  God;  then,  reading  a 
gospel  over  him,  he  blessed  his  eyes  with  the  little 
cross  which  he  wore  at  his  breast,  and  at  that  in- 
stant the  blind  man  recovered  his  sight;  and,  no 
longer  needing  the  assistance  of  a guide,  he  re- 
turned home  alone.  In  a short  time,  however,  he 
returned  to  the  church,  accompanied  by  his  three 
children ; where,  prostrating  himself  before  the 
saint,  he  declared  that  he  could  see  better  than  he 
had  done  previous  to  the  accident  which  had  de- 
stroyed his  sight : he  then  besought  him  still  fur- 
ther to  extend  his  charity  over  himself  and  family, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  441 

by  pouring  the  light  of  heaven  into  their  souls. 
Highly  gratified  was  our  saint,  who  baptized  them 
with  his  own  hand ; and  the  fame  of  this  miracle, 
being  spread  abroad,  brought  upward  of  three 
hundred  heathens  to  the  fold  of  Jesus  Christ. 

One  of  the  large  towns  of  Japan  (the  name  is 
not  specified)  was  ravaged  by  a fearful  pestilence. 
Xavier  happened  to  travel  that  way,  and  was  im- 
measurabty  grieved  to  see  such  multitudes  of  idola- 
ters passing  from  temporal  to  eternal  death.  He 
began,  therefore,  to  appeal  most  fervently  to  the 
mercy  of  our  Lord ; beseeching  him  to  lay  aside 
his  just  indignation.  He  was  heard  at  the  very 
moment.  The  air  was  immediately  cleared  of  all 
infectious  vapors;  the  city  was  restored  to  a 
more  healthy  state  than  before,  and  not  a vestige 
of  the  contagious  malady  remained.  Nothing 
more  was  requisite  to  work  the  conversion  of  those 
people,  who  consecrated  themselves  to  Christ,  and 
the  saint  there  formed  a numerous  church.  All 
this  was  narrated  in  the  last  processes  at  Cochin, 
by  Martin  Lupo,  who  attests  that  these  facts  were 
public  and  notorious  in  Japan. 

Having  described  the  courtesy  and  affection 
with  which  the  King  of  Bungo  treated  St.  Francis 
Xavier,  the  amendment  which  took  place  in  his 
moral  conduct,  and  the  dispositions  with  which 
Almighty  God  was  preparing  him  for  the  effica- 
cious grace  of  a true  conversion,  I think  the  reader 
will  be  curious  to  know  the  issue  of  such  pro- 
mising beginnings.  A brief  account  shall  therefore 
be  given,  more  especially  as  the  noble  edifice  owes 
its  whole  foundation  to  the  instructions  of  the 
saint,  in  the  first  instance,  and  afterward  to  his 


442 


THE  LIFE  OF 


tears,  austerities,  and  fervent  prayers.  The  king 
himself  always  acknowledged  this,  and,  with  this 
conviction,  would  receive  no  other  name  at  his 
baptism  than  that  of  Francis,  out  of  veneration  to 
the  memory  of  the  saint;  and  when  he  afterward 
sent  a solemn  embassy  to  Rome,  the  first  favor 
that  he  asked  of  the  reigning  Pontiff,  Gregory 
XIII.,  was  the  canonization  of  Father  Francis 
Xavier 

When,  then,  the  saint  had  taken  his  departure 
from  Bungo,  the  poor  king  was  left  in  the  hands 
of  the  bonzes;  and  being  carried  away  by  the  im- 
petuous passions  of  youth,  he  again  fell  into  his 
old  disorders,  and  professed  a sect  called  the 
Gneshi,  the  most  infamous  of  all  the  idolatrous 
sects.  But  amidst  all  his  corruption  he  preserved 
a deep  affection  for  the  true  faith,  favoring  it  in 
every  possible  way,  and  protecting  the  fathers  of 
the  Society  who  preached  it  in  his  dominions.  He 
used  to  say  that  the  law  of  Christ  was  superior  to 
all  others,  but  that  a king  ought  to  be  very  cau- 
tious before  he  changed  his  religion,  that  he  might 
not  afterward  be  reproached  with  levity;  but  in 
truth,  he  found  it  too  difficult  to  relinquish  those 
abominable  excesses  which  Christianity  anathema- 
tizes, but  which  the  sect  of  the  bonzes  extol  as 
feasts  of  chivalry.  To  sensual  delights,  however, 
the  young  king  knew  how  to  join  military  prowess. 
He  subjugated  four  crowns  to  his  hereditary  king- 
dom of  Bungo,  and  thus  rendered  himself  one  of 
the  most  powerful  monarch s of  Japan.  He  con- 
tinued thus  for  twenty-seven  years  after  the  visit 
of  our  saint;  when  at  length  the  blessed  seed 
which  he  had  eown  in  his  heart  began  to  germi 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  443 

Date.  One  day,  the  king  all  at  once  made  his  ap- 
pearance with  his  rosary  round  his  neck,  and 
boldly  declared  himself  a Christian.  He  kept  in 
his  private  cabinet  an  idol  of  exquisite  workman- 
ship, which  he  was  in  the  daily  habit  of  worship- 
ping, bowing  before  it,  with  his  head  upon  the 
giound.  Ho  sooner  was  he  converted,  than  he 
ordered  it  to  be  publicly  kicked  and  dragged 
through  the  mud  of  the  streets,  and  then,  dis- 
figured and  filthy  as  it  was,  he  caused  it  to  be 
thrown  into  the  sea. 

From  thenceforward  he  devoted  himself  to  fast- 
ing, prayer,  and  other  pious  works;  and  on  the 
28th  of  August,  1578,  he  took  the  final  step  by  re- 
ceiving baptism  at  the  hands  of  Father  Francis 
Cabral,  vice-provincial  of  the  Jesuits  in  those 
countries. 

Being  now  a Christian,  he  resigned  the  charge 
of  government  in  a great  measure  to  his  eldest 
son,  that  so  he  himself  might  more  easily  attend 
to  the  things  of  God ; and  as  he  could  not  bear  to 
live  amidst  an  idolatrous  people,  he  determined  to 
build  a city  for  the  exclusive  benefit  of  the  faithful. 
Accordingly  he  entirely  forsook  the  courtly  city 
of  Funai,  and,  retiring  to  a distant  spot,  he  there 
built  another : he  with  his  own  hands  labored  in 
the  building  of  the  church.  Every  day  he  spent 
several  hours  in  contemplation  and  in  pious  read- 
ing; every  Sunday  he  had  recourse  to  the  sacra- 
ments of  penance  and  holy  communion ; and  regu- 
larly every  night  his  whole  establishment,  com- 
prising three  hundred  persons,  assembled  to  recite 
the  rosary  with  him. 

Whilst  good  King  Francis,  yet  a neophyte,  was 


444 


THE  LIFE  OF 


giving  himself  to  these  pious  exercises,  the  devil 
was  making  every  endeavor  to  reconquer  him. 
Hitherto  the  king’s  life  had  been  a tissue  of  pros- 
perity; he  was  beloved  by  his  subjects,  and  re- 
spected even  by  his  enemies,  so  that  in  Japan  the 
good  fortune  of  the  King  of  Bungo  was  become  a pro- 
verb. In  less  than  two  months  from  the  epoch  of 
his  baptism,  this  pleasing  scene  completely  changed 
Many  powerful  vassals,  and  many  of  the  neigh- 
boring princes,  in  hatred  of  Christianity,  took  up 
arms  against  him,  and  fomented  rebellion,  so  that 
he  was  compelled  to  abandon  his  retreat,  and  un- 
dertake a war  in  self-defence,  or  rather  in  defence 
of  his  states.  So  completely  did  the  battle  go 
against  him,  that  twenty  thousand  men  and  the 
flower  of  his  nobility  perished,  and  he  himself  was 
obliged  to  flee  to  the  rocks  and  mountains,  where 
he  wellnigh  perished  of  hunger;  his  life  only 
spared  because  he  could  not  be  found.  Thus  in 
one  single  day  was  King  Francis  all-but  despoiled 
of  five  kingdoms,  and  with  difficulty  could  effect 
his  escape  within  a certain  fortress,  where  his  wife 
and  children,  like  those  of  holy  Job,  received  him 
with  reproaches,  and  condemned  him  for  what 
they  called  the  mad  resolution  of  embracing  a 
creed  which  had  ruined  both  them  and  himself, — 
bidding  him  go  to  the  God  of  Christians,  and  see 
whether  he  could  restore  what  the  indignant  gods 
* of  Japan  had  deprived  him  of  in  punishment  of  his 
apostasy. 

These  reproofs  pierced  the  heart  of  the  pious 
prince;  but,  armed  with  faith  and  courage,  like 
another  Job,  he  blessed  God,  and  kissed  the  wounds 
of  his  crucifix, — offering  his  life,  and  whatever  else 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


445 


he  still  possessed,  to  his  Divine  Savioi  To  his 
friends,  and  to  the  fathers  of  the  Society,  who  of- 
fered to  comfort  him,  he  answered  that,  if  they 
really  loved  him,  they  would  rejoice  with  him  that 
he  had  something  to  suffer  for  the  love  of  God 
Soon  after  these  reverses,  one  morning,  when  he 
had  heard  mass  and  received  holy  communion,  he 
made  a public  protestation  that  he  would  ever  live 
and  die  in  the  profession  of  the  holy  catholic  faith 
Not  content  with  this,  he  further  told  the  fathers 
of  the  Society  that  if  the  whole  of  Japan,  and  the 
whole  of  Christian  Europe, — nay,  more,  if  by  an 
impossibility  the  Eoman  Pontiff  himself, — should 
renounce  the  faith,  he,  with  the  help  of  Heaven, 
would  yet  remain  true  to  it,  ready,  if  necessary, 
to  shed  his  blood  in  its  defence.  To  this  protes- 
tation he  added  two  others,  equally  creditable  to 
him  : namely,  to  observe,  wholly  and  faithfully, 
the  precepts  of  God  and  of  the  Church,  even  to  his 
last  breath,  and  to  accomplish,  to  the  utmost  of  his 
power,  whatever  the  fathers  should  enjoin  for  the 
welfare  of  his  soul.  From  such  noble  beginnings 
we  may  easily  infer  that  the  progress  would  be 
great. 

Nothing  could  console  his  regret  for  having  so 
long  deferred  his  conversion:  hence  he  used  to  say 
that  for  the  brief  remnant  of  his  life  it  behooved 
him  so  to  husband  the  moments  of  it  that  each  one 
might  be  rendered  equal  to  a day,  and  each  day 
equal  to  a year. 

And,  in  truth,  Almighty  God,  who  saw  how  fully 
he  might  trust  his  fervor,  furnished  him  with  no 
ordinary  opportunities  of  signalizing  his  fidelity. 
During  the  nine  years  that  he  survived  his  baptism 
28 


446 


THE  LIFE  OF 


he  had  no  peace, — now  gaining  and  now  losing 
ground,  but  always  in  difficulties,  always  perse- 
cuted ; so  that  the  fathers,  writing  from  there,  tell 
us  that  his  afflictions  might  have  moved  the  very 
rocks  to  compassion.  But  he,  wholly  unmindful 
of  himself,  and  implicitly  submissive  to  the  will  of 
God,  devoted  himself  earnestly  to  the  frequeuta- 
tion  of  the  holy  sacraments,  to  pious  pilgrimages 
and  disciplines,  often  scourging  himself  to  blood; 
and  he  did  this  with  such  alacrity  of  soul  that  he 
used  to  say  he  enjoyed  more  delight  on  these  oc- 
casions than  he  ever  had  done  amidst  all  the  plea- 
sures of  worldly  pomp  and  state.  Our  Lord,  too, 
was  pleased  to  favor  him  in  a miraculous  manner. 
Once,  when  he  was  closely  besieged  in  a fortress 
by  a rebel  named  Jottetto,  he  was  absolutely 
without  means  of  defence.  Full  of  confidence  in 
God,  he  invoked  his  aid,  if  He  saw  that  he  should 
turn  it  to  his  glory.  At  that  moment  the  enemy, 
without  any  apparent  cause,  was  panic-struck  and 
precipitately  took  to  flight;  whereupon  his  followers 
took  heart,  pursued  the  fugitives,  cut  off  vast  num- 
bers, and,  among  the  rest,  Jottetto  himself. 

The  fervent  king  was  most  anxious  for  the 
extirpation  of  idolatry : whatever  territory  he  be- 
came master  of,  his  first  care  was  to  purge  it  of  all 
superstition.  On  one  occasion  he  gained  possession 
of  a certain  famous  mountain,  much  revered  by 
the  pagans  on  account  of  a celebrated  temple  and 
idol  and  for  the  three  thousand  bonzes  dwelling 
thereabouts:  the  very  day  that  it  fell  into  his 
hands,  he  caused  the  temple,  the  idol,  and  the 
monasteries  to  be  utterly  destroyed.  His  zeal  was 
perfectly  astonishing : all  his  care  seemed  to  con- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  447 

sist  in  building  churches,  and  in  protecting  the 
Christians  who  were  under  persecution,  for  whose 
sake  he  carried  his  charity  so  far  as  to  deprive 
himself  of  bare  necessaries.  He  continually  wrote 
to  such  of  the  princes  as  remained  on  amicable 
terms  with  him,  beseeching  them  to  favor  the 
Christian  religion;  and  he  frequently  acknow- 
ledged that  the  desire  of  extending  the  faith  was 
so  active  in  him  that  it  awoke  him  in  the  night, — 
when  his  thoughts  would  range  all  over  the  empire 
of  Japan,  considering  where  and  how  evangelical 
missionaries  might  be  dispersed  about  the  country. 
Whenever  he  heard  of  fresh  conversions,  tears  of 
delight  would  stream  down  his  cheeks,  and  he 
would  say  that  his  own  trials  were  unfelt  so  long 
as  he  could  see  the  faith  making  its  way  through 
so  many  provinces ; and  he  would  often  exhort  the 
fathers  to  try  and  win  the  good  will  of  his  greatest 
enemies,  if  religion  could  in  any  way  be  benefited 
thereby ; assuring  them  that  they  need  have  no 
consideration  for  his  own  personal  feelings,  since, 
provided  only  good  could  be  effected,  he  cared  not 
at  what  cost  to  himself.  More  than  once,  in  times 
of  sedition  and  tumult,  when  the  lives  of  the 
fathers  were  in  danger,  and  their  death  decreed 
for  a certain  hour,  he  would  courageously  go  to 
their  houses  and  spend  the  night  praying  with 
them,  wishing  that  he  too  might  be  slain  for  Christ 
Dr  in  defence  of  the  fathers.  As  he  rejoiced  at  the 
successes  of  the  gospel,  so  did  he  equally  deplore 
its  reverses.  His  eldest  son  wTas  on  the  point  of 
declaring  himself  a Christian,  but,  seeing  the 
calamities  which  befell  his  father  soon  after  his 
baptism,  he  became  terrified,  changed  his  mind, 


448 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  persisted  in  his  idolatry.  This  was  a source 
of  heartfelt  grief  to  the  zealous  parent,  and  occa- 
sioned him  a serious  illness : nevertheless,  he 
would  on  no  account  consent  to  see  his  guilty  son. 

Moreover,  his  death  was  attributed  to  affliction 
occasioned  by  the  sack  of  the  churches  belonging 
to  the  Christians  of  Bungo;  and  he  who  exulted 
in  his  own  misfortunes  actually  died  of  grief  under 
those  of  the  Church.  He  wTas  attacked  by  a slow 
fever,  during  which  all  his  conversation  was  of 
God  and  of  heavenly  things,  praying  for  mercy 
and  the  pardon  of  his  sins,  and  receiving  the  bread 
of  angels  every  second  day.  He  paid  no  more  at- 
tention to  state  and  family  matters  than  if  they  in 
no  way  concerned  him. 

Before  he  died,  however,  he  had  the  consolation 
of  seeing  his  son  a Christian  : he  took  the  name  of 
Constantine  at  his  baptism.  This  had  long  been 
the  first  wish  of  his  heart,  not  only  as  being  the 
means  of  salvation  to  the  soul  of  the  young  prince, 
but  likewise  because  his  own  death  would  not 
leave  the  succession  open  to  an  idolatrous  heir. 
Finally,  laden  with  merits,  and  distinguished  by 
every  sort  of  virtue,  he  went  to  rejoin  his  beloved 
Father  Francis  in  heaven,  from  whom  he  had  re- 
ceived the  first  impulse  of  his  glorious  career.  He 
left  orders  for  his  funeral  to  be  conducted  with  the 
least  possible  display  and  pomp,  requesting  that 
he  might  be  buried  in  the  dress  worn  by  the 
fathers  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  having  kept  one 
expressly  for  the  purpose,  one  which  had  been 
long  worn  by  a father  who  died  in  his  dominions. 
But  the  affection  of  the  faithful  prevailed  over  the 
humility  of  the  pious  king:  they  celebrated  his 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  449 

obsequies  with  regal  magnificence,  and  wept  bit- 
terly over  the  remains  of  their  loved  monarch ; 
and  it  was  unanimously  admitted  that,  after  Saint 
Francis  Xavier,  the  Church  of  Japan  was  indebted 
to  no  one  more  than  to  Francis  the  good  king 
of  Bungo. 

But  from  this  little  digression,  which,  we  think 
will  not  have  been  uninteresting  to  the  pious 
reader,  let  us  return  to  our  holy  apostle,  who,  as 
we  have  said,  sailed  with  the  worthy  Gama  on  the 
20th  of  November,  1551,  from  the  port  of  Funai, 
leaving  the  faith  of  Christ  sown  in  the  city  of 
Cangoxima,  where  he  first  landed,  and  in  progress 
even  as  far  as  the  states  of  Meaco.  He  was  ac- 
companied by  the  two  young  Japanese,  Matthew 
and  Bernard,  and  by  an  ambassador  sent  by  the 
King  of  Bungo  to  Goa,  expressly  to  assure  the 
Portuguese  of  his  friendship,  and  to  request  the 
viceroy  to  send  some  fathers  of  the  Society  in 
place  of  Xavier  to  preach  the  gospel  in  his  king- 
dom. For  seven  days  they  coasted  along  the 
island  with  a favorable  wind,  and  reached  Mel- 
letor,  a territory  dependent  on  the  King  of  Minacco. 
From  here  they  crossed  a gulf  which  carried  them 
into  open  sea.  On  the  twenty-seventh  there  was 
a new  moon,  and  this  brought  a change  of  weather 
the  sea  became  fearfully  tempestuous,  holding  the 
ship  completely  at  its  mercy,  and  finally  carrying 
it  into  seas  wholly  unknown  to  any  one  on  board. 
For  five  days  and  nights  they  had  not  so  much  as 
had  a glimpse  of  either  sun  or  star,  and,  as  the 
waves  continued  to  increase  in  fury,  they  began 
seriously  to  think  of  lightening  the  vessel.  The 
pilot,  being  unable  to  make  his  calculations,  did 

2 D 38* 


150 


THE  LIFE  OF 


his  best  to  drive  direct  to  Mindanao,  one  of  the 
Philippine  Islands.  As  they  were  thus  pursuing 
their  dangerous  course,  one  evening  the  wind  blew 
such  a hurricane,  and  the  waves  rose  to  such  a 
height,  that  they  were  compelled  to  cut  away  the 
forecastle  in  order  to  ease  the  ship  and  enable  her 
to  obey  the  helm.  They  next  endeavored  to 
insure  the  safety  of  the  sloop  which  followed  the 
ship,  to  which  it  was  attached  by  means  of  two 
new  and  strong  cables.  Wearied  out  as  they  were 
by  these  heavy  labors,  night  overtook  them  be- 
fore they  could  take  on  board  five  Portuguese  and 
ten  sailors  and  slaves  who  were  in  the  sloop, — 
though,  had  they  been  favored  with  broad  day- 
light, the  fury  of  the  waves  would  have  prevented 
the  approach  of  the  sloop  to  the  ship’s  side  suffi- 
ciently to  admit  of  the  transit  from  one  vessel  to 
another. 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  afflictions,  the  voyagers 
had  no  other  consolation  than  that  afforded  by 
the  presence  of  the  saint,  who  toiled  as  assiduously 
as  any  of  the  crew : besides  this,  he  heard  confes- 
sions, encouraged  their  hopes  of  even  escape  from 
present  dangers,  if  such  were  the  will  of  God;  or, 
if  not,  he  exhorted  them  to  look  forward  to  a 
better  world.  Nor  were  his  prayers,  which  were 
sometimes  continued  during  four  or  five  consecu- 
tive hours,  of  less  service  to  them : he  shed  floods 
of  tears  before  God  for  the  preservation  of  his 
dear  fellow-travellers,  reminding  him  of  all  they 
had  done  for  his  sake  at  Funai,  and  that  their 
lives  were  now  in  jeopardy  only  because  they  had 
postponed  their  departure  from  thence  to  do  honor 
to  his  holy  name. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


451 


All  at  once,  in  the  middle  of  the  night  a fearful 
cry  of  distress  arose,  which  sent  dismay  to  the 
heart  of  every  one  on  board.  The  sound  pro- 
ceeded from  the  sloop.  As  with  a violent  struggle, 
the  ropes  which  fastened  it  to  the  ship  had  snapped 
asunder,  leaving  it  and  its  unfortunate  freight 
completely  at  the  mercy  of  the  waves.  At  first  it 
was  believed  to  have  sunk ; but,  on  carefully  scan- 
ning the  sea,  as  far  as  the  darkness  of  the  night 
would  permit,  they  perceived  it  at  no  great 
distance, — whereupon  the  captain,  more  rashly 
than  reasonably,  gave  orders  to  turn  the  ship  and 
strive  to  rescue  the  poor  victims.  The  remon- 
strances of  the  pilots,  crew,  and  passengers  against 
this  desperate  risk  of  all  their  lives  were  to  no 
purpose:  there  was  a nephew  of  his  own  in  the 
sloop,  whom  he  loved  more  than  his  own  life,  and 
for  whose  safety  he  had  to  answer,  as  well  as  for 
that  of  all  on  board.  He  was  obe}7edj  but,  as 
they  were  lowering  the  sail  to  enable  them  tc 
tack  about,  the  vessel  encountered  two  violent  and 
contending  waves,  which  all-but  submerged  her. 
The  terrified  mariners,  unable  to  keep  their  stand- 
ing, were  tossed  about  in  all  directions.  In  the 
mean  time,  Xavier,  who  had  been  on  his  knees 
praying  in  the  captain’s  cabin,  aroused  by  the 
fearful  rocking  of  the  ship,  as  well  as  by  the 
screams  of  the  people,  recommended  them  and 
himself  to  God,  and  then  sallied  forth  on  deck, 
where  a deplorable  sight  awaited  him, — the  ship 
utterly  unmanageable,  the  crew  and  passengers 
clinging  as  best  they  could  to  the  masts,  cords,  or 
boards,  many  of  them  cut  and  bruised  by  the  con- 
cussion, and  by  being  thrown  to  and  fro,  according 


452 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  the  fury  of  the  waves.  Heart-rending  were 
the  appeals  to  God  for  mercy,  some  of  soul,  and 
others  for  safety.  The  saint  cast  his  eyes  over  the 
sad  scene,  them  raising  them  to  heaven,  and,  with 
all  the  fervor  of  his  soul,  uttered  these  emphatic 
words: — “O  Jesus  Christ,  thou  love  of  my  soul! 
by  those  five  wounds  which  thou  received  for  us 
on  the  tree  of  the  cross,  I beseech  thee  to  help 
us !”  He  had  proceeded  no  further,  when  the  ship, 
which  until  then  was  not  more  than  a few  inches 
above  water,  suddenly  rose  upon  the  surface  and 
righted  herself, — at  which  the  helmsman  and  crew, 
seeing  that  Heaven  was  evidently  favoring  them, 
again  undertook  to  act,  and,  setting  the  sail,  which, 
as  we  have  said,  had  been  displaced,  advanced  with 
the  wind  astern. 

Tears  and  lamentations,  however,  did  not  cease 
with  their  own  release  from  immediate  danger : 
few  of  them  had  not  to  deplore  the  loss  of  some 
relative  or  friend  in  the  sloop.  Xavier  compas- 
sionated the  grief  of  the  one  party  and  the  mis- 
fortunes of  the  other.  He  particularly  regretted 
the  loss  of  two  Moorish  slaves  who  were  in  the 
skiff,  because  the  loss  of  temporal  life  would  lead 
them  to  eternal  death.  As  these  sad  thoughts 
crossed  his  mind,  he  recollected  himself  in  his  usual 
manner,  and  offered  up  a brief  yet  fervent  prayer 
for  these  two,  who  knew  not  how  to  recommend 
themselves  to  the  Divine  protection.  Scarcely  had 
he  finished  his  request  when  he  felt  that  it  was 
granted:  therefore,  turning  to  those  who  were 
near  him,  he  began  cheerfully  to  encourage  them ; 
and,  alluding  to  their  absent  companions,  he  bade 
them  place  their  confidence  in  God,  for  that  ho 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  453 

^rusted  they  were  safe,  and  that  in  a few  days  the 
child  would  rejoin  its  mother, — meaning  that  the 
sloop  would  return  to  the  ship.  This  seemed 
utterly  impossible,  even  supposing  the  former  to 
have  weathered  the  storm;  for  the  latter  was 
driving  impetuously  forward.  They  therefore 
placed  no  reliance  on  his  word,  and  continued  their 
lamentations,  declaring  the  loss  to  be  irretrievable. 
However,  at  break  of  day  some  one  ascended  to 
the  mast-head  to  look  out  for  the  sloop ; but 
nothing  was  to  be  seen  except  the  wide  expanse 
of  water.  Two  hours  later,  Xavier  again  made 
his  appearance,  with  the  same  cheerful  counte- 
nance as  before;  and  after  courteously  saluting  the 
captain,  the  pilot,  and  seven  other  Portuguese  who 
were  with  them,  he  inquired  whether  they  had 
any  news  of  their  companions,  and  was  answered 
“No!”  as  he  expressed  a wish  that  some  one 
should  again  mount  the  mast  and  be  on  the  look 
out.  A bystander  replied,  “Ay,  ay,  father:  the 
sloop  will  come  back  when  we  send  another  after 
it;”  meaning  to  say  that  it  would  never  be  seen 
again.  Hereupon  Xavier  gently  reproved  him, 
saying,  “Does  not  Heaven  watch  over  these  souls? 
Is  the  power  of  God  so  far  lessened  that  he  is  un- 
able to  save  them  ? Is  his  power  as  short  as  your 
confidence  ? I have  placed  them  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  Queen  of  Heaven,  and  have  promised 
for  their  safety  to  celebrate  three  masses  in  her 
honor  at  the  altar  of  Our  Lady  del  Monte,  at 
Malacca.”  And,  turning  again  to  the  pilot,  he 
bade  him  send  one  of  the  sailors  up  aloft.  To 
satisfy  him,  this  was  done;  and  after  remaining 
there  on  the  look  out  for  half  an  hour,  the  man 


454 


THE  LIFE  OF 


declared  that  nothing  was  to  be  seen.  For  two 
days  and  three  nights  the  saint  had  taken  neither 
food  nor  rest,  and  was  reduced  to  such  a state  of 
weakness  that  he  could  scarcely  stand  : moreover, 
he  was  assailed  with  sudden  attacks  of  vertigo. 
Ferdinand  Mendez,  one  of  the  merchants  on  board, 
entreated  him  to  take  at  least  a brief  repose,  offer- 
ing him  his  own  little  cabin  for  the  purpose.  Xa- 
vier accepted  it,  and  requested,  as  a further  favor, 
that  he  would  place  his  Chinese  servant  at  the 
door,  in  order  to  secure  him  from  interruption. 
The  repose  he  sought  was  prayer,  not  sleep ; for 
the  servant  assured  his  master  that  during  the 
seven  hours  that  Father  Francis  spent  in  the  cabin, 
he  had  never  moved  from  his  knees;  that,  hearing 
his  sighs  and  groans,  he  had  watched  him  narrowly, 
to  see  how  he  would  spend  the  time.  Toward  sun- 
set he  again  came  forth,  and  asked  the  pilot 
whether  the  sloop  was  not  in  sight,  as  it  could 
now  be  at  no  great  distance.  The  pilot  told  him 
that  he  might  be  quite  easy  about  their  companions, 
because  it  was  sheer  absurdity  to  expect  ever  to 
see  them  again, — adding,  “If  our  ship  has  scarcely 
been  able  to  weather  the  storm,  what  chance  can 
a slight  skiff  have  had?  Unless  God  has  miracu- 
lously preserved  it,  it  has  been  swamped  long  ago. 
However,  supposing  it  to  have  so  far  escaped,  it 
would  avail  but  little:  they  can  never  overtake  us, 
for  we  are  at  least  a hundred  and  fifty  miles  ahead 
of  them.”  In  spite  of  all  this,  the  saint  begged 
he  would  send  again  to  the  look-out.  Less  to 
satisfy  him  than  to  put  an  end  to  vThat  seemed  to 
him  presumptuous  expectations,  he  went  himself 
up  aloft,  and,  carefully  scanning  both  horizon  and 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  455 

sea,  he  declared  that  nothing  but  waves  was  to  be 
seen,  and  accordingly  he  descended  on  deck. 

Now,  at  least,  it  seemed  preposterous  to  wait  for 
further  proof;  but  Xavier,  who  negotiated  the 
matter  with  God,  and  who  trusted  in  him,  that  he 
would  not  only  save  the  sloop,  but  would  likewise 
soon  bring  it  in  sight,  began  most  earnestly  to 
entreat  the  pilot  to  shorten  sail  and  await  the 
arrival  of  their  companions,  who  were  not  far  off. 
He  pleaded  so  warmly  that  the  pilot,  who  respected 
him  most  sincerely,  acceded  to  his  wishes.  The 
mainsail  was  lowered,  and  they  halted  for  three 
hours,  awaiting  those  whom  none  but  himself  ex- 
pected. At  the  end  of  that  time  the  passengers 
began  to  complain  of  the  uneasy  swaying  motion 
of  the  vessel,  and  insisted  on  the  sail  being  again 
hoisted.  The  saint  remonstrated,  and,  seeing  that 
the  sailors  were  obeying  the  pilot  instead  of  him- 
self, he  ran  and  threw  his  arms  round  the  sail- 
yard  ; then,  leaning  his  head  upon  his  arm,  he 
burst  into  a flood  of  tears,  sighing  profoundly;  but 
soon  afterward  he  arose,  clasped  his  hands  to- 
gether, and,  raising  his  streaming  eyes  to  heaven, 
exclaimed,  with  deep  emphasis,  “ O Jesus  Christ, 
my  true  God  and  Lord ! by  the  sufferings  of  your 
sacred  passion  and  death,  I beseech  you  to  save 
the  souls  of  these  your  faithful  servants,  now 
coming  through  such  dangers  in  the  skiff.”  Having 
said  this,  he  again  rested  his  head  upon  the  mast, 
and  remained  silent  for  a few  minutes,  apparently 
asleep. 

All  at  once  a boy,  who  happened  to  be  sitting 
on  some  cordage  at  the  foot  of  the  mast,  cried  out, 
“A  miracle ! a miracle  ! Here  comes  the  sloop  V' 


456 


THE  LIFE  OF 


And,  sure  enough,  there  it  was,  at  the  distance  of 
about  an  arrow’s  throw.  Every  eye  was  turned 
in  the  direction  indicated  by  the  child,  and  was 
satisfied  of  the  truth.  It  would  be  impossible  to 
describe  the  tears  and  exclamations  of  delight 
which  ensued.  Joy  seemed  to  have  turned  every 
one’s  brain,  especially  the  poor  captain’s,  whose 
grief  at  the  supposed  death  of  his  nephew  had 
deprived  him  of  all  rest.  All  crowded  round  the 
holy  father,  falling  on  their  knees  before  him, 
accusing  themselves  as  wretched  sinners,  in  not 
having  appreciated  his  worth,  declared  themselves 
unworthy  to  have  so  holy  a man  among  them, 
and,  in  humble  confusion  and  affection,  vied  with 
each  other  in  striving  to  kiss  his  feet.  He,  blush- 
ing both  for  himself  and  them,  reproved  them  for 
attributing  to  him  that  which  was  the  work  of 
God  alone.  Then,  bidding  them  render  due  thanks 
to  Him,  he  slipped  away  from  them,  and  shut  him- 
self up  in  the  captain’s  cabin. 

In  the  mean  time  the  sloop  was  approaching; 
and  every  one  noticed  with  astonishment  that, 
instead  of  the  irregular,  jerking  motion  which  the 
swelling  waves  would  naturally  occasion,  the  bark 
appeared  to  glide  swiftly  through  the  waters,  and 
advanced  in  a straight  line  toward  the  ship,  so 
that  it  was  evident  to  all  that  God  himself  was  the 
pilot : still  more  were  they  convinced  of  this  when, 
coming  alongside,  the  sloop  made  a dead  halt,  re- 
maining motionless  till  every  one  had  safely  dis- 
embarked, and  then,  without  any  trouble  to  the 
sailors,  took  her  accustomed  place  at  the  ship’s 
stern. 

Sincere  and  ardent  were  the  mutual  greetings 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  457 

and  congratulations.  It  is  true,  a fresh  cause  of 
surprise  arose — a surprise  which  seemed  to  para- 
lyze every  tongue — when  the  travellers  in  the 
sloop  asserted  that  they  felt  no  alarm  throughout 
that  horrible  tempest;  that  they  had  felt  perfectly 
safe  even  in  the  deep  gloom  of  that  fearful  night, 
because  they  had  all  along  been  cheered  by  the 
presence  of  holy  Father  Francis,  who  had  guided 
the  helm  with  more  than  a pilot’s  skill.  The  ship’s 
crew  protested  that  Xavier  had  been  with  them, 
and  had  never  left  the  ship;  whilst,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  passengers  in  the  sloop  with  equal  confi- 
dence affirmed  that  he  was  with  them,  and  that  his 
presence,  and  nothing  else,  had  inspired  their  feeling 
of  security.  So  manifest  a discrepancy  could  only  be 
accounted  for  in  a miraculous  sense : it  was,  in  fact, 
a case  of  bilocation,  the  work  of  the  right  hand  of 
the  Most  High.  Upward  of  fifty  witnesses  attested 
this  circumstance  on  oath,  as  we  learn  from  the 
auditors  of  the  Rota.  The  fame  of  this  stupendous 
miracle  spread  far  and  wide,  and  was  notorious 
throughout  the  East.  The  two  Saracens  who  were 
in  the  sloop,  convinced  by  this  miracle  of  the  truth 
of  the  Christian  dispensation,  renounced  Moham- 
medanism and  requested  baptism. 

When  the  universal  excitement  had  somewhat 
subsided,  Xavier  again  came  forth,  and,  calling 
Francis  Aghiar,  the  pilot,  aside,  in  a friendly 
manner  reminded  him  that  he,  and  the  fifteen 
saved  in  the  sloop,  ought  to  render  thanks  to  God 
in  a manner  suited  to  so  signal  a favor, — as  in 
effect  they  afterward  did.  He  moreover  advised 
him  to  increase  his  canvas,  because  they  would 
soon  have  a favorable  wind.  Although  the  practi- 
39 


458 


THE  LIFE  OF 


cal  science  of  the  pilot  told  him  just  the  reverse, 
he  placed  implicit  reliance  on  the  words  of  the 
saint : scarcely  were  the  sails  set,  when  the  sea 
became  calm,  and  a fine  breeze  sprung  up  which 
in  thirteen  days  carried  them  to  Sancian,  a Chi 
nese  port  then  open  to  the  Portuguese  flag. 

The  friendship  of  our  holy  apostle  for  Franc's 
Aghiar  did  not  end  here;  for,  on  the  following  day, 
as  the  two  were  discussing  the  dangers  incident 
to  a seafaring  life,  the  saint  told  him  that  he  would 
die  ashore,  adding,  moreover,  that  no  ship  in 
which  he  sailed  would  perish  at  sea.  The  pilot 
accepted  his  wrord  as  an  oracle;  and  on  many  oc- 
casions it  was  miraculously  verified.  When  Aghiar 
had  to  undertake  a voyage,  he  set  out  boldly,  with 
out  regard  to  season,  weather,  or  other  danger,  to 
the  astonishment  of  those  who  were  unacquainted 
with  the  cause  of  his  security.  But  on  one  par- 
ticular occasion  he  more  than  ever  proved  the 
high  estimation  in  which  he  held  the  saint,  as  well 
as  the  implicit  confidence  which  he  placed  in  his 
promise.  He  was  sailing  from  Tenasserim  to 
Pegu  in  a small,  ill-built,  and  very  old  ship,  when 
a furious  storm  arose,  and  soon  threw  the  other 
ships  sailing  in  company  with  Aghiar  on  the  rocks, 
to  the  utter  destruction  of  them  all.  This  little 
old  vessel  alone  escaped;  and  this,  in  the  hands 
of  any  other  pilot,  would  have  been  the  first  to 
perish : nevertheless,  on  this  occasion,  she  nobly 
rode  the  waves,  as  if  an  angel  ruled  her,  whilst 
the  good  pilot  sat  at  the  helm  singing  merrily,  as 
he  might  have  done  in  a smooth  sea  and  fair 
weather.  His  sang-froid  actually  astounded  the 
passengers,  some  of  whom  asked  him  how  ho 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAYIER.  459 

could  possibly  be  singing  there,  at  a moment 
when  he  and  themselves  were  on  the  brink  of 
eternity.  To  which  he  very  quietly  answered, 
“ I should  not  feel  the  slightest  fear  even  if  the 
waves  ran  a thousand  times  higher  than  they  do, 
nor  if  the  ship  was  twice  as  old  and  as  rotten 
as  she  is,  because  my  father  Master  Francis  has 
assured  me  that  neither  I,  nor  any  ship  that  1 
steer,  shall  ever  perish  at  sea.”  Hearing  this,  the 
Christians  on  board  felt  completely  at  ease;  whilst 
the  Saracens,  touched  by  God,  unanimously  de- 
clared that  if  they  survived  this  storm,  and 
reached  land  in  safety,  they  would  embrace  Chris- 
tianity,— as  in  effect  they  did.  On  their  arrival 
at  Tanar,  they  were  confirmed  in  their  good  pur- 
pose by  the  sight  of  the  dead  bodies  and  remains 
of  the  other  ships,  which  had  perished  in  the 
tempest  and  were  now  washed  ashore : the  said 
Moors  hereupon  solicited  baptism,  to  the  inex- 
pressible delight  of  the  worthy  pilot. 

Being  late  in  the  season,  Xavier  found,  on 
reaching  Sancian,  that  only  two  Indian  vessels 
were  remaining  in  the  harbor,  one  of  them  be- 
longing to  his  best-loved  friend,  James  Pereira. 
As  Odoard  Gama’s  ship,  which  had  brought  him 
from  Bungo,  was  so  thoroughly  out  of  repair  as  to 
be  compelled  to  winter  at  Sancian,  he  went  on 
board  his  friend’s  ship;  and  no  sooner  had  he 
entered  it  than  the  wTind,  which  had  hitherto  been 
directly  contrary  to  their  Indian  voyage,  instantly 
changed  in  their  favor  : therefore,  on  the  follow- 
ing day,  the  last  of  the  year  1551,  they  set  sail, 
with  their  prow  toward  Malacca.  The  other 
ship,  which,  like  Pereira’s,  was  only  waiting  for  a 


460 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fair  wind,  sailed  at  the  same  time,  but  with  very 
different  success,  as  will  appear  later. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  voyage,  our 
saint’s  conversation  chiefly  turned  upon  Japan ; 
the  hatred  and  persecutions  of  the  bonzes,  the 
dispute  with  Fookarandono,  the  piety  of  the  sen- 
sible King  of  Bungo,  the  conversions  effected  in 
Funai,  Amanguki,  Cangoxima,  and  other  places; 
but,  above  all,  of  the  facility  with  which  Japan 
would  be  brought  over  to  the  faith  if  China  could 
first  be  subjected  to  its  domain,  since  it  is  the 
latter  empire  which  mainly  guides  the  former 
in  all  matters  connected  with  religion.  Xavier 
therefore  came  to  the  resolution  of  turning  his 
energies  to  the  conversion  of  China ; and  for  this 
purpose  he  was  now  returning  to  the  Indies,  to 
make  some  arrangements  for  the  welfare  of  the 
Society  and  of  the  new  Christians;  after  which 
he  would  set  out  upon  his  arduous  enterprise.  He 
had  already  translated  his  catechism  into  Chinese, 
and  was  carrying  it  with  him  for  the  benefit  of 
such  of  his  religious  brethren  as  were  to  accom- 
pany him. 

The  Portuguese  passengers  on  board  heard  him 
express  his  intentions  with  very  great  regret. 
Being  acquainted  with  the  laws  of  China,  they 
assured  him  that  he  could  not  effect  an  entrance 
into  that  country  unless  by  an  act  of  public  author 
ity;  adding  that  death  was  the  penalty  of  an 
infringement  of  this  law,  and  that  there  were 
already  several  Portuguese  merchants  in  prison, 
6ome  of  whom  had  been  there  many  years,  for  no 
other  offence  than  that  of  furtively  introducing 
themselves  into  the  kingdom  for  mercantile  pur 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  461 

poses.  There  was  but  one  path  open  to  him; 
namely,  for  the  Yiceroy  of  the  Indies  to  send,  in 
the  name  of  the  King  of  Portugal,  a solemn  em- 
bassy to  the  Emperor  of  China,  soliciting  his 
friendship.  The  expense  of  this,  including  ships, 
presents,  &c.,  would  be  enormous : therefore  it 
was  highly  improbable  that  the  viceroy  either 
would  or  could  consent  to  it.  But  Pereira,  who 
under  the  garb  and  profession  of  a merchant 
carried  the  heart  of  a prince  and  the  religious 
zeal  of  an  apostle,  overruled  this  obstacle,  by 
offering  to  God,  and  to  the  saint  himself,  his  ship 
and  all  his  wealth,  if  necessary  to  the  undertaking. 
Xavier,  therefore,  undertook  to  obtain  the  vice- 
roy’s consent  to  the  embassy  and  to  Pereira’s  being 
nominated  ambassador,  he,  on  his  side,  defraying 
the  expenses. 

A new  difficulty,  however,  arose.  They  received 
intelligence  that  Malacca  was  closely  besieged; 
therefore,  if  they  neared  that  coast,  their  ship 
would  probably  be  pressed  into  the  service  for 
purposes  of  war.  Nor  was  the  apprehension 
groundless;  for  so  vigorous  was  the  siege  that 
great  part  of  Malacca  was  destroyed.  This  had 
been  clearly  foretold  by  Xavier.  In  June,  1551, 
this  dissolute  city  was  attacked,  both  by  sea  and 
land,  by  the  Mohammedan  King  of  Gentian,  se- 
conded by  Malay  and  Japanese  soldiers, — his  forces 
amounting  to  upward  of  twelve  thousand.  Ala 
lacca  wTas  left  with  little  more  than  the  valor  of 
the  governor  for  her  defence;  but  he,  fortunately, 
found  opportune  succor  by  means  of  Egidius  Car- 
vallo,  who  happened  to  be  on  the  coast  of  Chedda, 
with  three  well-appointed  ships,  which  he  hastily 
39* 


462 


THE  LIFE  OF 


brought  down  to  the  assistance  of  the  distressed 
city  suffering  from  incessant  assaults.  The  Ma- 
lays and  Javanese  successively  relieved  each  other, 
so  that  when  one  party  was  wearied  out  the  other 
came  on  quite  fresh. 

The  fathers  of  the  Society  at  Malacca,  though 
few  in  numbers,  supplied  the  place  of  many  by 
their  indefatigable  charity  and  toil.  They  were 
foremost  in  danger,  especially  Father  Francis  Pe- 
rez, who  effected  wonders  by  means  of  a crucifix 
which  Xavier  had  given  him  when  he  started  for 
Japan.  Once,  in  particular,  when  a numerous 
troop  of  Javanese  had  boldly  dashed  in  front  of 
the  artillery  and  crossed  the  river,  there  seemed  no 
possibility  of  driving  them  back.  Perez  fastened 
his  crucifix  to  a tree,  and,  kneeling  down  before 
it,  besought  Almighty  God  to  grant  victory  to  the 
arms  of  Portugal.  His  prayer  was  granted  almost 
as  soon  as  uttered : the  Javanese  were  repulsed, 
leaving  more  than  three  hundred  dead  on  the 
spot. 

But,  as  the  sins  of  Malacca  pressed  more  heavily 
upon  her  than  the  weapons  of  her  enemies,  part 
of  the  city  fell  into  the  power  of  the  Saracen  king, 
who  put  all  to  fire  and  sword.  Of  the  three 
hundred  Portuguese  within  the  walls,  more  than 
one  hundred  were  slain ; many  thousands  of  the 
natives  were  carried  off  as  slaves,  besides  an  im- 
mense booty. 

At  the  time  these  events  were  passing,  Xavier 
was  at  Funai,  battling  with  the  bonzes;  but  God, 
nevertheless,  revealed  to  him  what  was  going  on 
nt  Malacca;  for  one  day  he  expressly  advised 
Gama  and  his  companions  to  hasten  their  depart- 


6AINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  463 

ure,  because  Malacca  would  be  unable  to  resist 
the  siege  with  which  she  was  threatened ; but,  as 
his  mental  vision  dived  still  more  deeply  into  fu- 
turity, he  saw  that  the  distance  was  too  great  for 
Gama  to  be  of  any  real  use  to  the  besieged  : the 
saint,  therefore,  began  to  aid  them  with  his  prayers 
As  God  had  sent  the  chastisement  for  the  amend 
ment  as  well  as  for  the  punishment  of  the  citizens 
he  granted  their  deliverance  to  the  intercession 
of  our  saint;  for,  strange  to  say,  the  enemy  quitted 
Malacca  without  any  apparent  cause,  more  in  the 
manner  of  a flight  than  of  a retreat.  This,  too, 
was  revealed  to  Xavier;  for  when  Pereira  expressed 
a dread  of  touching  at  Malacca,  lest  his  vessel 
might  be  taken,  the  holy  man  removed  all  ap- 
prehension, by  telling  him  the  danger  was  over 
and  the  enemy  gone. 

As  the  season  was  far  advanced,  it  was  doubtful 
whether  they  would  find  any  ships  at  Malacca 
destined  to  the  Indies;  and,  if  not,  their  projected 
voyage  to  China  would  be  considerably  delayed ; 
because  Pereira  was  unable  to  go  on  to  Cochin, 
being  bound  by  contract  to  proceed  at  once  to 
Sunda.  Almighty  God,  however,  relieved  them  both 
from  their  anxiety  on  this  score,  by  making  the 
following  revelation  to  Xavier,  who  imparted  it  to 
his  friend ; namely,  that  there  was  only  one  ship 
then  at  the  port  of  Malacca,  belonging  to  Anthony 
Pereira;  that  on  their  arrival  they  would  find  it 
with  sails  set,  and  resting  only  on  one  anchor, 
ready  to  start  for  Cochin.  Wonderful  to  relate, 
the  prediction  was  literally  verified,  as  will  be 
shown  in  due  time. 

In  this  manner  did  our  holy  apostle  pursue  his 


464 


THE  LIFE  OF 


voyage  from  Sancian  to  Malacca,  when  suddenly, 
one  day,  the  sea  became  disturbed,  and  one  of  those 
terrific  whirlwinds  arose,  which  threatened  the  de- 
struction of  any  vessel  that  chanced  to  be  within 
reach  of  its  influence.  The  hopes  of  the  crew  and 
passengers  rested  in  the  merits  and  presence  of  the 
holy  man,  to  whom,  with  pallid  lips,  they  had  re- 
course, beseeching  him  to  have  compassion  on  them 
in  their  danger  and  to  aid  them  with  his  prayers. 
He  withdrew  for  a short  time,  and  then,  returning 
with  a serene  countenance,  said  to  them,  “The 
ship  Santa  Cruz  [such  was  her  name]  will  neither 
now,  nor  at  any  future  time,  perish  at  sea:  she 
will  fall  to  pieces  on  the  same  shore  where  she  was 
built.  Would  to  God  that  I could  say  as  much  for 
the  other  vessel  which  started  with  us  from  San- 
cian ! her  misfortune  will  soon  be  made  manifest 
to  us.”  Scarcely  had  he  said  this  when  the  hurri- 
cane, which  had  hitherto  been  hanging  over  the 
Santa  Cruz , suddenly  took  another  direction,  and 
the  storm  subsided.  Soon  afterward,  they  saw 
various  articles  of  merchandise,  dead  bodies,  and 
the  rigging  of  a ship,  floating  on  the  waves.  They 
moreover  picked  up  two  sailors,  still  alive,  who  had 
bound  themselves  to  some  planks  and  thus  escaped 
the  watery  grave  which  had  swallowed  up  their 
companions, — the  sole  remnants  of  the  unfortunate 
ship  alluded  to  so  recently  by  Xavier.  We  may 
find  instruction  in  some  particulars  connected  with 
this  ship,  and  which  were  given  in  the  Processes 
by  Dominic  Caldeira.  He  tells  us  that  when  the 
saint  was  returning  from  Japan  he  placed  some  of 
his  altar-furniture  on  board  a Portuguese  vessel 
which  was  returning  direct  to  the  Indies.  Just 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  4*5 

before  starting,  as  the  captain  of  this  ship  (whc 
was  a man  of  little  or  no  conscience)  was  speaking 
of  his  voyage,  he  blasphemously  said  that  he  in- 
tended sailing  straight  to  the  Indies,  God  willing 
or  not  willing.  Xavier,  who  overheard  the  expres- 
sion, was  horrified,  and,  reproving  the  miscreant, 
repeatedly  said  to  him,  “Do  not  speak  thus,  brother; 
do  not  speak  thus : rather  say,  I will  go  direct  to  the 
Indies , please  God V9  But  he  ordered  the  said  Cal- 
deira  immediately  to  remove  the  sacred  vestments 
from  that  ship  and  transfer  them  to  the  one  in  which 
he  himself  was  intending  to  embark.  A few  days 
after  the  ship  of  this  sacrilegious  captain  set  sail, 
she  was  totally  wrecked,  as  we  have  seen ; and  as 
the  saint  was  looking  at  the  floating  remnants  of  the 
wreck,  he  said  to  the  bystanders,  “ Behold,  my 
dear  children,  had  wo  taken  passage  on  board  that 
ship,  the  innocent  would  have  been  in  equal  danger 
with  the  guilty.” 

Xow  let  us  briefly  relate  what  befell  the  Santa 
Cruz.  As  soon  as  it  became  known  that  Father 
Francis  Xavier  had  blessed  it  and  promised  it  pros- 
perity, it  was  revered  throughout  the  East  as  some- 
thing holy,  and  thenceforward  was  more  generally 
designated  the  saint’s  ship  than  the  Santa  Cruz. 
Whenever  she  entered  any  port,  the  people  flocked 
in  crowds  to  look  at  her.  Other  ships  saluted  her 
with  salvoes  of  artillery.  In  freighting  her,  no 
consideration  was  had  for  her  capability  or  ton- 
nage. Merchants  paid  at  a higher  rate  to  get  their 
goods  consigned  to  her.  All  available  space  was 
crammed  to  its  utmost, — so  that  often  the  ship's 
sides  were  hardly  above  water.  In  progress  ol 
time,  she  became  fractured  and  rotten  : neverthe- 
2 E 


466 


THE  LIFE  OF 


less,  old  a;  i damaged  as  she  was,  she  gallantly 
braved  every  storm  and  danger,  crew  and  passen- 
gers readily  intrusting  themselves  under  her  sails. 
Once  only  do  we  meet  with  an  instance  of  distrust. 
She  had  started  together  with  a large  fleet  from 
Malacca  to  Cochin,  as  usual  very  much  overladen. 
When  they  had  traversed  about  twenty-five  miles 
of  sea,  she  took  in  so  much  water  that  there  seemed 
to  be  every  prospect  of  her  sinking.  Signal-guns 
were  fired  to  warn  the  other  ships  of  her  danger 
and  to  claim  their  aid;  but,  as  they  were  all  suffi- 
ciently laden,  not  one  of  them  was  willing  to  ease 
her  load  by  adding  to  their  own.  Fearful  of  not 
being  able  to  accomplish  so  long  a voyage,  the 
captain  decided  on  returning  to  Malacca.  On  his 
reaching  the  port,  the  inhabitants  were  exceedingly 
surprised  to  see  the  saint’s  ship  brought  back  in 
fear,  and  expressed  their  indignation  and  contempt 
both  of  the  crew  and  captain,  reminding  them  of 
Xavier’s  prophecy,  which  had  been  a standing 
miracle  for  upward  of  twenty-two  years.  Ashamed 
of  themselves  and  of  their  want  of  faith,  they 
immediately  turned  their  prow  toward  Cochin, 
started  again,  and  reached  their  destination  so 
safely  that  none  of  the  merchandise  had  suffered 
from  damp, — an  advantage  not  enjoyed  by  any  of 
the  other  vessels  that  had  sailed  with  her.  The 
Santa  Cruz  occasionally  changed  owners,  all  of 
whom  (mindful  of  the  saint’s  prediction  that  she 
was  not  to  perish  at  sea)  took  care  to  have  what 
repairs  were  necessary  done  when  she  was  fairly 
afloat.  About  thirty  years  after  Xavier’s  death, 
the  captain  to  whom  she  then  belonged,  fearful  for 
her  safety,  and  anxious  to  have  her  thoroughly 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER, 


467 


repaired,  had  her  drawn  ashore  on  the  coast  of 
Cochin,  where  she  had  been  built.  Here,  propped 
up  on  one  side  for  the  convenience  of  the  workmen, 
she  dropped  completely  to  pieces  in  one  night, 
of  sheer  old  age,  and  the  next  morning  presented 
nothing  but  a heap  of  decayed  timber,  fit  only  for 
the  fire, — thus  entirely  verifying  the  prediction 
of  the  man  of  God.  The  circumstance  was  cele- 
brated as  a public  festival  by  the  people  of  the 
town. 

But  astonishment  did  not  cease  here.  Though 
destroyed,  the  saint’s  ship  was  still  miraculous. 
George  Nunez,  suspecting  that  the  virtue  of  so 
powerful  a blessing  would  still  adhere  to  the 
damaged  planks,  secured  a piece  of  one  and  nailed 
it  on  his  own  small  frigate.  Nor  were  his  expec- 
tations deceived;  for  he  invariably  escaped  the 
many  dangers  to  which  he  was  exposed.  When 
some  of  his  friends  accused  him  of  rashness  for 
venturing  so  light  a craft  in  seas  which  were 
appalling  to  the  largest  and  best-appointed  vessels, 
he  always  answered  that  the  sea  and  winds  knew 
better  than  to  insult  a board  which  had  been 
blessed  by  that  holy  man  Father  Francis  Xavier. 
Strange  to  say,  the  frigate  of  Nunez  ended  just  as 
the  Santa  Cruz  had  done  : she  was  drawn  into  the 
arsenal  of  Coulan  for  repairs,  and,  at  a moment 
when  no  hand  was  upon  her,  crumbled  to  pieces. 

Whilst  Xavier  and  Pereira  are  quietly  pursuing 
their  voyage  from  Sancian  to  Malacca,  the  reader 
may  take  a hasty  view  of  some  interesting  inci- 
dents which  had  occurred  during  his  absence  in 
Japan.  Conversions  and  baptisms  of  kings;  nu- 
, merous  populations  won  over  to  the  faith;  pious 


468  THE  LIFE  OF 

institutions  for  the  maintenance  and  propagation 
of  the  same;  the  extermination  of  idolatry;  the 
banishment  of  the  Brahmins  from  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Goa ; the  foundation  of  new  colleges ; the 
addition  of  members  to  the  Societj7 ; and  finally, 
the  labors,  successes,  merit,  and  glorious  deaths  of 
some  of  them.  Great  were  the  rejoicings  of  the 
faithful  in  the  Indies  when  news  reached  them  of 
any  of  his  triumphs  in  Japan,  such  as  his  victories 
over  the  bonzes,  his  magnificent  reception  by  the 
King  of  Bungo,  and  the  miracles  whereby  God  j 
was  pleased  to  glorify  his  servant,  and  give  au- 
thority to  the  Christian  religion  in  the  eyes  of 
infidel  nations. 

Some  of  these  important  details  reached  Ma- 
lacca in  April,  1550,  when  Don  Peter  di  Silva,  I 
captain  of  the  fortress,  rejoicing  in  the  successes  1 
of  his  dear  friend  Father  Francis,  as  well  as  in 
the  progress  of  religion,  would  have  a public  and 
solemn  festival  on  the  occasion.  All  the  clergy, 
the  military,  the  magistracy,  and  the  people  of 
Malacca  went  in  grand  procession  to  the  church 
of  Our  Lady  del  Monte,  to  return  her  thanks  for 
having  landed  Father  Francis  in  Japan  on  the  feast  ; 
of  her  glorious  Assumption,  and  to  congratulate 
with  her  on  the  conquests  already  made  in  the 
name  of  her  divine  Son.  The  vicar  chanted  a so- 
lemn mass,  after  which  the  rest  of  that  day  and 
the  following  night  were  devoted  to  mirth  and  fes- 
tivity; bonfires,  illuminations,  artificial  fireworks; 
bells  ringing  from  every  steeple;  houses  decorated 
with  tapestry  and  flowers;  bands  of  music;  juve- 
nile chorus-singers,  loudly  proclaiming  the  praises 
of  God  and  blessing  the  name  of  Father  Francis 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


469 


Both  the  fortress  and  the  port  had  their  own  pe- 
culiar displays, — flags  and  banners  waving,  guns 
tiring,  colored  lamps,  &c.  &c.  But  the  most  gra- 
tifying sight  of  all  was  that  of  the  four  Japanese 
pagans  sent  to  Malacca  by  the  holy  apostle  to 
witness  with  their  own  eyes  the  magnificence  of 
the  Christian  religion  and  the  solemnity  and  devo- 
tion of  its  worship.  Touched  by  the  grace  of 
God,  they  became  willing  trophies  of  the  truth : 
they  were  duly  instructed  by  Father  Francis  Pe- 
rez, and  finally  were  baptized  by  the  vicar  him- 
self. 

We  have  already  stated  that  Xavier  assured 
Pereira  that  they  would  find  his  namesake’s  ship 
at  Malacca  ready  to  sail.  It  remains  for  us  now 
to  show  how  exactly  his  words  were  verified.  As 
it  had  been  made  known  to  him  by  revelation,  he 
was  so  confident  of  the  fact,  that,  when  he  reached 
the  Straits  of  Singapore,  (about  ninety  miles  above 
Malacca,)  finding  a frigate  going  thither  direct,  he 
sent  letters  by  it  to  Anthony  Pereira,  announcing 
his  near  arrival,  and  entreating  him  to  defer  his 
departure  for  three  days,  in  order  to  receive  him 
on  board  and  convey  him  to  Cochin.  He  wrote  at 
the  same  time  to  Father  Perez,  the  superior  at 
Malacca,  preparing  him  to  receive  the  ambassador 
from  the  King  of  Bungo,  together  with  Matthew 
and  Bernard,  whom  he  was  intending  to  send  to 
Europe.  He  desired  Perez  to  appeal  to  the  hospi- 
tality of  the  Portuguese  and  thus  insure  them  a 
suitable  reception. 

They  reached  Malacca  at  the  time  specified,  and 
found  Anthony  Pereira  with  his  sails  set,  and  rest- 
ing on  one  anchor,  just  ready  for  departure.  As 

40 


<70 


THE  LIFE  OF 


usual,  the  people  went  forth  in  crowds  to  receive 
and  welcome  the  saint.  Their  respect  and  af- 
fection were  nevertheless  tempered  with  affliction. 
Pointing  to  the  ruins  of  their  town,  they  told  him 
that  had  he  been  there  when  they  were  attacked 
by  the  Malays  and  Javanese,  as  he  was  when  they 
were  attacked  by  the  Acheens,  Almighty  God 
would  have  spared  them  for  his  sake. 

He  gratified  his  religious  brethren  with  the 
pleasing  accounts  he  gave  them  of  Japan,  then 
visited  his  old  friend  Don  Peter  di  Silva,  and  his 
successor  Don  Alvaro  D’Ataiide,  (afterward  so 
inimical  to  the  saint,)  who  was  recently  appointed 
to  the  command  of  the  fortress,  informing  them 
of  his  designs  with  regard  to  China  and  the  em- 
bassy of  Pereira, — at  which  they  both  expressed 
much  satisfaction,  as  being  likely  to  improve  the 
interests  of  the  crown  of  Portugal,  as  well  as  to 
enlarge  the  empire  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

Later,  however,  the  avarice  and  envy  of  Don 
Alvaro  smothered  every  feeling  of  conscience  and 
piety : to  the  everlasting  infamy  of  his  name  be 
it  said,  he  opposed  and  defeated  an  embassy  under- 
taken by  the  saint  in  compliance  with  the  will 
of  God  and  approved  by  the  whole  of  the  royal 
council. 

Having  embraced  his  worthy  and  right  noble 
friend  James  Pereira,  and  received  from  him  an 
order  on  his  agent  for  thirty  thousand  scudi,  to 
expend  in  preparations  for  the  Chinese  expedition, 
he  and  his  Japanese  entered  Anthony  Pereira’s 
ship,  ard  after  a tedious  and  somewhat  daugerous 
voyage  (wherein  his  prayers  proved  most  effica- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  471 

cious)  he  landed  at  Cochin  on  the  24th  of  January 
1552. 

Here  he  found  that  a serious  disturbance  had 
been  occasioned  by  the  excessive  warmth  of  Father 
Anthony  Gomez.  He  had  been  called  there  to 
accept  the  foundation  of  a college  for  the  Society, 
and  had  been  put  in  possession  of  a church  named 
of  the  Mother  of  God.  Soon  afterward,  however, 
the  confraternity  to  which  it  had  belonged  re- 
gretted the  gift,  and  reclaimed  it.  Gomez,  who 
was  of  a fiery  character,  insisted  on  retaining  it; 
and  on  appealing  to  the  governor,  who  was  his 
personal  friend,  the  leaders  of  the  opposite  party 
were  thrown  into  prison : hence  arose  most 
bitter  complaints  against  the  fathers,  and  much 
angry  feeling  between  individuals.  On  his  arrival, 
Xavier  was  promptly  informed  of  the  circum- 
stances, whereupon  he  assembled  the  magistracy, 
the  vicar,  and  the  confraternity,  and  then,  holding 
the  keys  of  the  church  in  his  hand,  he  knelt  down 
in  the  midst  of  them  all,  and  with  the  greatest 
humility  begged  pardon  for  all  that  had  occurred ; 
and,  deeply  deploring  that  there  should  have  been 
so  much  cause  for  displeasure,  he  restored  the  keys, 
protesting  that  he  looked  for  nothing  and  wished 
for  nothing  further  than  what  they  in  their  good- 
ness were  pleased  to  confer.  This  act  of  humilia- 
tion on  the  part  of  a man  so  universally  revered 
very  much  affected  those  who  witnessed  it,  and 
produced  a most  favorable  impression  in  the 
town.  A council  was  held,  when  a final  and  so- 
lemn donation  of  the  church  was  decided  upon, — 
effected,  no  doubt,  by  the  modesty  of  the  saint, 
which  triumphed  where  the  imperative  harshness 


472 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  Gomez  had  failed;  and  the  Society  was  per- 
manently established  there. 

In  Cochin,  too,  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  com- 
pleting the  conversion  of  the  King  of  the  Maldives, 
a young  Mohammedan  prince  about  twenty  years 
of  age.  For  some  reason  or  other,  his  subjects 
rebelled  against  him,  and,  as  his  forces  were  un- 
equal to  the  contest,  he  was  compelled  to  save  his 
life  by  flight.  He  fled  to  Cochin,  hoping  that 
the  Portuguese  would  espouse  his  cause  and 
reinstate  him  in  his  dominions.  The  Fathers  of 
the  Society  received  him  into  their  house,  when 
the  example  of  their  holy  lives,  so  much  more 
powerful  than  words,  in  great  measure  opened  his 
eyes  to  the  light  of  truth.  Xavier’s  opportune 
arrival  effected  the  rest.  He  knew  so  well  how  to 
speak  to  him  of  God,  and  still  more  how  to  speak 
of  him  to  God,  that  he  completely  convinced  him; 
and,  after  giving  him  |he  necessary  instruction, 
he  received  solemn  baptism  from  the  saint’s  own 
hand.  The  crown  of  Portugal  seems  not  to  have 
thought  the  Maidive  territories  worth  its  care 
or  cost,  for  no  efficient  aid  was  ever  afforded  the 
young  king,  who  married  a noble  Portuguese  lady 
and  lived  and  died  in  quiet  retirement  at  Cochin. 

At  a later  epoch  the  said  King  of  the  Maldives 
declared  on  oath  that  he  had  seen  the  holy  father 
raised  to  a considerable  height  from  the  ground 
whilst  he  was  in  the  act  of  celebrating  mass.  Still 
more  singular  and  more  celebrated  was  the  rapture 
which  occurred  to  him  once  at  Goa,  when  he  was 
publicly  distributing  communion  to  a vast  number 
of  the  faithful.  He  used  to  do  this,  not  standing, 
as  is  customary,  but  on  his  knees.  One  morning, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


473 


then,  as  he  was  engaged  in  this  sacred  function, 
he  was  seen  (with  his  knees  bent,  as  if  kneeling) 
to  rise  to  the  height  of  three  palms  from  the 
ground,  that  is  to  say,  to  a level  with  the  balus- 
trade, and,  thus  suspended  in  the  air,  he  adminis- 
tered the  blessed  Sacrament  to  the  people,  who 
gazed  upon  him  as  they  would  upon  an  angel  come 
down  from  heaven,  rather  than  as  a mortal  man. 

During  his  stay  at  Cochin  he  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  forwarding  some  letters  to  Europe.  Avail- 
ing himself  of  it,  he  wrote  letters  overflowing 
with  zeal  to  St.  Ignatius,  to  the  King  of  Portugal, 
and  to  some  of  the  fathers  of  Home  or  Lisbon. 
We  cannot  entirely  pass  them  over  in  silence,  and 
therefore  quote  a striking  sentence  or  two  from  his 
letter  to  his  saintly  superior,  whom  he  confidently 
thus  addresses : — “ To  my  father  in  Christ , Igna- 
tius” After  a few  lines,  which  he  assures  him 
that  he  writes  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  he  proceeds 
as  follows  : — “ I can  never  sufficiently  explain  to 
you  how  much  I am  indebted  to  the  Japanese, 
since  through  them  our  Lord  has  been  pleased  to 
unveil  to  me  my  innumerable  sins.  I am  almost 
beside  myself  when  I think  that  until  now  I had 
never  penetrated  the  abyss  of  misery  completely 
concealed  in  the  deep  recesses  of  my  conscience. 
But  now,  amidst  the  excessive  toils  and  trials 
of  Japan,  the  divine  goodness  has  been  pleased  to 
open  my  eyes,  and,  as  it  were,  to  compel  me  to 
see  how  necessary  it  is  for  me  to  be  placed  under 
obedience  to  some  one  who  will  watch  over  me 
with  special  attention  and  diligence.  I therefore 
humbly  beseech  your  holy  charity  to  reflect  on 
what  you  have  done,  by  appointing  me  to  govern 
40* 


474 


THE  LIFE  OF 


souls  so  holy  as  are  those  of  the  fathers  and  bro- 
thers residing  in  these  countries.  As  for  me,  it  is 
solely  owing  to  the  mercy  of  God  that  I have  been 
so  thorough^  convinced  of  my  utter  unfitness  to 
be  intrusted  with  the  care  of  them ; and  this 
leads  me  to  hope  that,  in  place  of  leaving  me  to 
be  their  superior,  you  will  make  an  exchange,  and 
rather  commit  me  to  their  custody/’ 

In  this  manner  did  the  saint,  enlightened  by  his 
refined  humility,  look  upon  himself  as  being  so 
very  different  from  what  every  one  else  believed 
him  to  be. 

Again  embarking,  a few  days’  sail  carried  him 
from  Cochin  to  Goa,  whither  he  arrived  two  years 
and  about  ten  months  after  he  had  quitted  it  to 
undertake  his  famous  voyage  to  Japan. 


END  OF  THE  THIRD  BOOK. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


475 


fiook  llje  Jfourllj. 


On  stepping  ashore  at  Goa,  our  holy  apostle 
went  straight  to  the  hospital  to  visit  and  comfort 
the  sick : from  thence  he  proceeded  to  the  college, 
where  he  found  the  fathers  increased  in  numbers 
up  to  thirty.  After  satisfying  the  first  impulse 
of  mutual  affection,  which  was  not  accomplished 
without  many  tender  tears,  the  saint  inquired 
whether  there  were  any  invalids  in  the  infirmary; 
and  being  answered  that  there  was  one  at  the 
point  of  death,  entirely  despaired  of  by  the  doc- 
tors, he  hastened  to  pay  the  sweet  debt  of  charity. 
Approaching  the  dying  man,  he  gave  him  his 
blessing;  and  at  that  very  moment  he  awoke  as 
from  the  sleep  of  death : the  malady  was  entirely 
gone,  and  he  arose  from  his  bed  strong  and  well. 

Xavier  found  much  to  console  him  on  his  return 
to  Goa.  A great  reformation  of  morals  had  been 
effected  through  the  zeal  of  his  spiritual  sons, 
especially  Father  Gaspar  Barseus,  who,  recalled 
from  the  missions  of  Ormuz,  was  sedulously  culti- 
vating the  seed  which  had  been  sown  by  his 
saintly  father.  The  frequentation  of  the  sacraments 
was  now  so  familiar  to  the  Portuguese  that  none 
of  them  would  venture  to  undertake  a long  voy- 
age without  first  preparing  themselves  for  it  by 
having  recourse  to  confession  and  communion. 
Equally  gratifying  were  the  accounts  he  received 


476 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  the  fathers  whom  he  had  dispersed  through  the 
various  kingdoms  of  India.  He  listened  to  these 
recitals  with  a beaming  countenance,  whilst  tears 
of  devotion  and  delight  rolled  rapidly  down  his 
cheeks. 

For  the  glory  of  our  holy  man,  as  well  as  for  the 
encouragement  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Society 
of  Jesus,  we  may  be  permitted  to  extract  a few 
lines  from  a letter  written  by  the  Archbishop  of 
Goa,  Don  John  Albuquerque,  to  St.  Ignatius.  It 
is  dated  the  28th  of  November,  1550,  precisely  at 
the  time  when  St.  Francis  Xavier  was  going 
through  his  heaviest  labors  in  Japan. 

“ The  work  accomplished  by  the  subjects  of 
your  reverence  in  these  parts  of  the  East,  their 
good  example,  their  saintly  lives,  their  learning, 
their  sermons,  their  labors  in  the  confessional  for 
the  benefit  of  the  Portuguese,  the  journeys  which 
they  undertake  for  the  conversion  of  idolaters  and 
Mohammedans,  induce  me  to  give  this  intelligence 
to  your  reverence:  which  I am  well  able  to  do 
from  experience,  and  as  being  the  eye-witness  of 
what  I affirm.  The  fathers  of  this  holy  Society 
are  so  fervent  in  alleviating  the  heavy  burden  of 
the  bishops,  that  all  that  we  have,  all  that  we 
obtain,  all  that  we  are  able  to  do,  proceeds  from 
them.  I believe  that  we  shall  be  spared  many 
years  of  purgatory  in  consequence  of  the  fidelity 
with  which  they  assist  us  in  the  salvation  of  the 
souls  committed  to  us.  I,  more  than  all  the  rest, 
hold  myself  particularly  obliged  to  them,  living  as 
I do  in  the  midst  of  so  many  nations  where  idols 
of  wood  and  stone  are  worshipped . By  the  zeal 
and  industry  of  the  fathers,  many  of  these  bar- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  477 

barous  people  have  been  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  true  and  only  God,  acknowledging  the  three 
persons  of  the  most  blessed  Trinity. 

“ Neither  my  occupations  nor  my  time  allow  me 
to  describe  in  detail  their  multifarious  good  works, 
and  the  fruit  which  they  produce  in  souls.  I will 
only  add  that  here  they  seem  to  be  endowed  with 
a double  share  of  zeal  for  clearing  away  the  gloom 
of  the  dark  night  wherein  they  labor.  Praise 
and  glory  be  to  God,  who  effects  such  great  things 
by  means  of  his  servants !” 

The  ministers  of  the  King  Don  John  wrote  in 
similar  strains  to  his  majesty ; in  consequence  of 
which,  this  pious  prince  placed  under  the  direction 
of  the  Society  all  the  seminaries  hitherto  erected, 
and  which  were  hereafter  to  be  erected,  in  those 
parts.  He  moreover  determined  to  found  several 
more  colleges  in  Portugal,  for  the  express  purpose 
of  training  evangelical  laborers  for  the  missions 
of  the  Indies.  Not  satisfied  with  this,  he  wrote 
to  the  sovereign  Pontiff,  giving  him  ample  details 
of  the  vast  acquisitions  to  the  Church  gained  by 
St.  Francis  Xavier  and  his  companions,  making 
special  mention  of  the  conversion  of  the  King  of 
Tanar,  and  of  the  blessed  death  of  Father  Anthony 
Criminale,  slain  for  the  faith  of  Christ  on  the 
coast  of  the  Pearl  Fishery. 

Among  so  many  subjects  of  joy  and  gratitude, 
Xavier  found  much  to  deplore  and  blame  in  the 
conduct  of  Father  Gomez,  already  mentioned  in 
connection  with  the  awkward  affair  of  the  college 
at  Cochin.  Severe  complaints  of  him  were  carried 
to  the  newr  viceroy,  Don  Anthony  Norogna,  even 
before  he  had  disembarked  at  Goa.  His  excellency 


478 


THE  LIFE  OF 


was  told  that  he  had  emptied  and  ruined  a semi- 
nary which  had  hitherto  been  an  honor  to  the 
city,  and  the  salvation  of  India, — a seminary  from 
whence  had  sallied  forth  innumerable  fathers  and 
teachers  of  the  faith,  men  of  such  virtue  as  gene- 
rously to  present  their  bodies  to  the  arrows  and 
their  necks  to  the  scimitars  of  those  tyrants  who 
strove  to  destroy  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ; 
adding  that  if  Father  Francis  could  only  witness 
the  damage  caused  by  one  of  his  disciples,  he  would 
promptly  strive  to  remedy  it  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  city  and  to  the  confusion  of  Gomez.  These 
people  only  spoke  the  truth;  for  no  sooner  did 
Xavier  arrive  than  he  minutely  examined  all  the 
circumstances  of  the  case,  chastising  Gomez  by  ex- 
pelling him  from  the  Society.  He  did  not,  however, 
despoil  him  of  his  habit,  willing  to  save  his  honor 
as  far  as  he  could,  until  he  was  on  the  point  of 
embarking  for  Portugal.  The  misfortunes  of 
Gomez  did  not  end  here;  for  on  the  voyage  to 
Europe  (whither  he  would  go,  either  to  account 
for  his  conduct  to  the  Portuguese  Government,  or 
to  implore  forgiveness  of  St.  Ignatius)  the  vessel 
was  wrecked,  and  he  was  drowned ; God  so  per- 
mitting it,  that  there  might  be  no  chance  of  appeal 
against  the  decision  of  Francis  Xavier.  Such  was 
the  end  of  Anthony  Gomez, — a man  whose  talent 
in  benefiting  others  could  rarely  be  equalled,  and 
whose  powerful  and  natural  abilities  might  have 
accomplished  great  things  in  the  service  of  God, 
had  he  been  more  pliable  in  obedience,  and  had 
he  been  as  submissive  in  humility  as  he  was  ardent 
in  zeal  and  ambitious  of  honor. 

Having  made  such  arrangements  as  were  likely 


v SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  479 

io  restore  peace  and  prosperity  to  the  college,  he 
became  more  anxious  than  ever  to  wage  war 
against  the  enemy  of  mankind.  He  consulted  the 
Lord  by  long  and  fervent  prayer,  and  then  dis- 
tributed his  subjects,  according  to  their  strength 
and  talents,  through  the  various  kingdoms  of  India. 
To  such  of  them  as  were  absent,  he  wrote  soul- 
stirring letters,  encouraging  them  to  renewed  zeal 
and  fervor  in  the  service  of  God  and  their  neighbor. 
With  those  who  were  so  fortunate  as  to  be  in  Goa, 
he  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  giving  each 
one  such  minute  and  particular  instruction  as  his 
employment  required;  and  in  the  evenings,  when 
they  were  all  assembled  together,  he  made  them  a 
discourse  on  the  obligations  annexed  to  their  voca- 
tions ; speaking  with  so  much  feeling  that  his 
hearers  were  usually  affected  even  to  tears,  as  they 
themselves  related  in  their  letters. 

St.  Ignatius  recommended  that  some  prudent, 
well-informed  person  should  be  sent  over  from  the 
Indies  to  treat  with  the  sovereign  pontiff,  and  with 
the  King  of  Portugal,  on  the  more  important  con- 
cerns of  those  missions.  In  compliance  with  this 
wish,  Xavier  sent  over  Brother  Andrew  Fernandez, 
a man  of  great  prudence  and  virtue,  giving  him 
suitable  letters,  and  explaining  what  was  to  be  par- 
ticularly recommended  to  the  notice  of  those  poten- 
tates, but  chiefly  to  insist  on  the  necessity  of  send- 
ing out  additional  laborers,  men  of  solid  virtue  and 
of  indomitable  courage. 

With  Fernandez  he  sent  the  two  Japanese, 
Matthew  and  Bernard:  the  former,  unfortunately, 
died  before  he  reached  Europe;  but  the  latter 


480 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ariived  in  due  time,  put  on  the  habit  of  the  Society, 
and  persevered  in  it  until  death. 

In  the  mean  time,  Xavier  was  prosecuting  his 
plans  for  the  Chinese  expedition  and  securing  the 
embassy  for  Pereira.  In  his  interviews  with  the 
viceroy,  Don  Alphonsus  Norogna,  he  explained  to 
him  the  importance  of  the  measure,  and  obtained 
from  him  the  requisite  credentials,  splendidly 
written  in  gold  and  adorned  with  bullion  fringe. 
These  letters  were  to  be  presented  to  the  Emperor 
of  China  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  Portugal. 
Others  of  the  same  description  were  received  from 
the  archbishop,  in  commendation  of  the  Christian 
religion;  and  these  too  were  to  be  delivered  to 
the  Chinese  monarch.  Pereira  purchased  a col- 
lection of  magnificent  presents,  to  which  the  piety 
of  certain  Portuguese  noblemen  added  several 
others, — such  as  pictures  by  some  of  the  first 
European  artists,  and  other  articles  of  exquisite 
workmanship : to  these  were  added  a magnifi- 
cent supply  of  altar-furniture  and  vestments.  To 
prevent  all  obstacles  which  might  be  raised 
against  this  embassy,  the  viceroy,  most  zealous 
for  the  glory  of  his  crucified  Lord,  published 
an  edict  constituting  it  a capital  offence  in  any 
minister  of  the  crown  who  should  venture  to 
oppose  it. 

Having  thus  negotiated  the  affair  with  men,  Xa- 
vier continued  to  recommend  the  issue  of  it  inces- 
santly to  God.  We  may  judge  his  own  feelings  on 
the  subject  from  the  following  extract,  copied  from 
one  of  his  letters  written  to  the  King  of  Portugal 
five  days  prior  to  his  embarkation  : — “ Our  object 
is  to  liberate  the  Portuguese  who  are  there  lan- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


481 


guishing  in  captivity;  to  institute  amicable  rela- 
tions between  the  sovereigns  of  China  and  Por- 
tugal; to  wage  war  upon  hell  and  its  abettors. 
For  this  purpose  we  shall  (beginning  with  the 
king  and  thence  descending  to  his  subjects)  de- 
clare, on  the  part  of  the  King  of  Heaven,  that  it  is 
their  duty  to  yield  those  honors  to  the  Lord  their 
Savior  and  Judge  which  hitherto  they  have  ab- 
surdly given  to  the  devil.  To  reprove  a powerful 
sovereign,  and  declare  the  truth  to  him  and  his 
people,  may  appear  a rash  undertaking;  but  we 
are  encouraged  thereto  by  the  deep  conviction  that 
God  himself  has  stamped  the  design  in  our  heart ; 
and  he  fills  us  with  such  confidence  that  we  cannot 
for  a moment  doubt  his  power,  which  so  far  ex- 
ceeds all  that  the  King  of  China  either  could  or 
would  do.  Moreover,  as  the  issue  of  the  whole 
affair  rests  in  the  hands  of  God,  we  have  nothing 
to  fear;  and,  in  fact,  there  is  no  real  cause  of  fear- 
ing any  thing  in  this  world  but  offending  God  and 
rendering  oneself  deserving  of  everlasting  damna- 
tion. My  confidence  is  materially  increased  by 
the  consideration  of  Almighty  God  having  chosen 
such  miserable  inexpert  men  as  we  are  for  so  exalted 
a task  as  that  of  imparting  the  light  of  the  gospel 
to  an  uncivilized  nation,  situated,  as  we  may  say, 
in  another  world, — a nation  doubly  blinded  by  its 
vices  and  by  its  ignorance.” 

The  time  of  departure  being  at  hand,  the  holy 
man  convoked  all  the  members  of  the  college,  de- 
claring Father  Gaspar  Barzeus  vice-provincial  of 
India  in  his  stead.  Then,  immediately,  by  an  act 
and  words  of  profound  humility,  he  threw  himself 
on  his  knees  at  the  feet  of  the  new  superior,  as 
2 F 41 


482 


THE  LIFE  OF 


being  the  first  to  show  him  respect  and  submission, 
giving  at  the  same  time  a beautiful  example  of  that 
deference  due  to  whoever  governs  us  in  the  place 
of  God.  It  would  be  impossible  to  describe  the 
scene:  tears  fell  from  every  eye,  whilst  overpower- 
ing was  the  confusion  of  poor  Barzeus, — he  who, 
so  far  from  wishing  to  rule,  most  ardently  desired 
and  hoped  to  make  the  sacrifice  of  his  life  to  God, 
either  in  China  or  Japan.  But  he  was  obliged  to 
submit  to  the  decision  of  the  saint,  who  would 
accept  of  no  excuse,  and  who  left  him  a manu- 
script of  his  own  writing  containing  the  most  per- 
fect idea  of  religious  government, — a document 
worthy  both  of  the  master  and  the  scholar. 

Nothing  more  remained  but  to  make  choice  of 
those  who  were  to  accompany  him  There  was 
not  one  who  did  not  offer  himself  to  the  saint  and 
entreat  the  favor  of  being  associated  with  him  in 
his  future  labors:  but  he  could  only  gratify  the 
following: — Father  Balthasar  Gago,  priest;  and 
Brothers  Edward  Silva,  Peter  Alcazeva,  Alvarez 
Fereira,  Francis  Gonzales ; to  whom  was  added  a 
young  Chinese,  named  Anthony,  educated  in  the 
seminary  of  Holy  Faith. 

Of  these,  some  were  intended  for  Japan,  and 
the  rest  were  to  accompany  him  to  China.  As  he 
gave  and  received  the  last  farewell  embrace,  he 
also  gave  them  his  last  spiritual  advice,  of  which  one 
who  was  present  thus  writes: — “Just  before  our 
father,  master  Francis,  went  on  board,  as  he  w~as 
embracing  his  distressed  and  weeping  brethren, 
he  recommended  each  one  of  them  to  remain  true 
to  his  vocation;  to  study  that  profound  humility 
which  springs  from  a true  knowledge  of  oneself; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  483 

and,  above  all,  to  practise  prompt  and  willing 
obedience;  expatiating  on  this  virtue,  as  being 
most  dear  and  precious  to  God,  and  most  necessary 
to  all  the  children  of  the  Society.” 

The  saint  was  attended  to  the  ship  by  all  his 
own  confreres  and  by  many  of  the  Portuguese 
nobility,  as  well  as  by  vast  crowds  of  people.  He 
started  from  Goa,  never  to  return  to  it  alive,  on 
Holy  Thursday,  the  14th  of  April,  1552. 

Whilst  traversing  the  vast  archipelago  toward 
China,  many  remarkable  incidents  occurred, — 
among  the  rest,  an  instance  of  ubiquity,  or  rather 
of  bilocation,  quite  as  stupendous  as  the  one  already 
recorded,  and  which  the  reader  will  remember  to 
have  taken  place  during  the  perilous  voyage  from 
Japan  to  Sancian. 

In  the  first  place,  then,  1 meet  with  the  marvel- 
lous taking  of  the  city  of  Tolo,  in  the  isle  of  Moro. 
It  is  certain  that  it  occurred  precisely  at  this  time; 
and  it  is  equally  certain  that  Xavier  played  a con- 
spicuous part  in  it  and  was  there  in  person : this 
was  attested  by  several  who  fought  in  the  engage- 
ment, and  is  expressly  declared  in  the  bull  of  his 
canonization : it  must,  therefore,  be  acknowledged 
that  on  this  occasion  an  Almighty  Power  rendered 
him  present  in  two  different  places  at  one  and  the 
same  time. 

To  make  the  circumstance  intelligible,  the 
reader  must  recall  to  mind  what  has  been  related 
in  the  earlier  pages  of  this  work.  When,  in 
1547,  our  saint,  passing  from  the  Moluccas  to  the 
isle  of  Moro,  converted  vast  numbers  to  the  faith, 
and  left  Father  John  Beira  at  Tolo  to  watcn  over 
the  flock  there,  amounting  to  twenty-five  thousand 


484 


THE  LIFE  OF 


souls,  that  these  savage  people  should  have  been 
won  over  was  looked  upon  as  a most  stupendous 
miracle : nevertheless,  such  was  the  case ; and  the 
faith  was  cherished  and  preserved  till  this  very 
year,  (1552,)  when,  by  a just  judgment,  Almighty 
God  permitted  the  devil  to  overturn  a Church 
apparently  well  built.  Two  Mohammedan  kings — 
one  of  Tydor,  the  other  of  Gilolo — decided  on  the 
destruction  of  Tolo,  in  hatred  of  Christianity,  and 
for  this  purpose  led  their  combined  forces  against 
it.  From  its  position,  the  town  was  impregnable  : 
the}?-  therefore  devastated  the  surrounding  villages 
and  fields,  putting  all  to  fire  and  sword.  The 
citizens,  though  sorely  pressed  by  scarcity,  and 
grieved  to  witness  the  destruction  of  their  property, 
remained,  notwithstanding,  true  to  God,  till  at 
length  the  King  of  Gilolo  sent  to  propose  terms  of 
peace,  on  condition  that  they  abjured  Christianity 
and  returned  to  the  ancient  worship  of  the  country. 
One  of  the  chief  magistrates,  wearied  by  the  pro- 
tracted struggle,  and  apprehensive  of  further  trials, 
accepted  the  proposal,  denied  his  faith,  and  again 
assumed  the  garb  and  profession  of  idolatry. 

Here  we  see  the  fearful  effects  of  bad  example  in 
persons  of  authority,  especially  when  their  subor- 
dinates are  men  of  gross  and  sensual  mind.  There 
does  not  seem  to  have  been  one  who  had  moral 
fortitude  enough  to  oppose  the  impious  cowardice 
of  this  wretched  leader : one  after  another,  they 
all  apostatized  in  the  course  of  the  day;  and,  fall- 
ing from  one  abyss  to  another,  they  drove  away 
their  pastor  Beira,  set  fire  to  the  church,  destroyed 
the  crosses  and  holy  images,  and,  in  fine,  heaped 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  485 

anheard-of  insults  on  all  that  is  most  sacred,  and 
this  to  gratify  the  caprice  of  a barbarous  king. 

Scarcely  had  they  completed  their  impious  task 
when  the  vengeance  of  indignant  Heaven  fell  upon 
them : all  nature  conspired  against  them  as  the 
enemies  of  the  Creator.  The  rice  which  had  been 
stored  up  in  the  public  granaries  rotted ; the  fields, 
though  usually  fertile  enough,  and  then  actually 
promising  an  abundant  harvest,  became  parched, 
and  refused  to  yield  so  much  as  a single  green 
blade;  the  water  of  the  springs  and  rivers  became 
unpalatable  and  even  infectious,  so  that  the  unfortu- 
nate inhabitants  could  procure  nothing  to  assuage 
the  pangs  of  hunger  and  thirst  which  tortured 
them;  and  lastly,  to  add  to  their  misfortunes,  a 
pestilential  malady  broke  out  among  them,  and 
seemed  likely  to  decimate  them  in  a very  short 
time.  Notwithstanding  these  repeated  blows  from 
the  hand  of  God,  the  perfidious  hearts  of  the 
Morons,  so  far  from  relenting,  became  all  the  more 
obdurate. 

Now,  whilst  the  saint  was  pursuing  his  voyage 
to  China,  he  knew,  by  revelation,  all  that  was 
passing  in  the  city  of  Tolo.  Such  infamy  roused 
his  zeal  to  its  utmost  ; and,  though  he  was  then 
two  thousand  miles  distant  from  the  Moluccas,  he 
was,  by  the  omnipotence  of  God,  conveyed  in  a 
moment  to  Ternate,  where  Hon  Bernardine  di  Sosa 
acted  as  captain  of  the  fortress  established  there 
by  the  Portuguese.  Di  Sosa  was  as  pious  as  he 
was  brave  : the  saint,  therefore,  had  no  difficulty  in 
persuading  him  to  espouse  the  cause  of  God,  and 
to  avenge  the  injuries  inflicted  on  the  Christian 
name : it  is  true,  he  did  not  dare  to  leave  the  fort- 
41* 


486 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ress  without  a sufficient  garrison,  and  could  there- 
fore only  spare  a score  of  his  soldiers : these  were 
joined  by  four  hundred  of  the  natives;  a very  in- 
competent supply,  in  comparison  with  the  number 
of  their  opponents,  but  deemed  sufficient  if  God 
himself  fought  with  his  own,  as  they  confidently 
hoped  he  would.  Xavier  set  sail  with  this  noble 
little  band,  and  crossed  over  to  the  isle  of  Moro, 
distant  about  a hundred  and  eighty  miles  from 
Ternate.  The  inhabitants  of  Tolo,  conscious  of 
their  misdeeds,  were  fearful  that  the  Portuguese 
would  go  and  punish  them,  and  had  consequently 
prepared  for  their  own  defence.  As  for  the  city 
itself,  it  seemed  impossible  that  it  could  be  captured, 
being  situated  on  a rocky  mountain,  accessible 
only  by  one  narrow  path  : to  render  it  still  more 
secure,  they  surrounded  it  with  wide  and  deep 
trenches,  the  borders  of  which  were  planted  with 
sturdy,  pointed  stakes,  so  placed  that  whoever 
attempted  to  pass  either  over  or  between  them 
would  remain  impaled.  In  addition  to  all  this, 
the  King  of  Gilolo  supplied  them  from  his  terri- 
tories with  ammunition,  soldiers,  and  provisions: 
hence,  deeming  themselves  perfectly  secure,  they 
impiously  set  heaven  and  earth  at  defiance. 

When  the  Portuguese  disembarked,  they  posted 
themselves  at  the  foot  of  the  rock,  and  then  de- 
spatched a herald  to  proclaim  to  those  who  were 
within  that,  if  they  wished  for  peace,  they  were  to 
beg  pardon  of  God  and  return  anew  to  the  law  of 
their  Creator;  that,  unless  they  did  this,  they 
would  learn  to  their  cost  how  dreadful  was  the 
indignation  of  so  powerful  a Monarch,  and  how 
energetic  was  the  courage  of  his  ministers.  The 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  487 

barbarians  received  the  proclamation  with  undis- 
guised contempt,  and  sent  for  answer  that  they 
neither  feared  the  Portuguese  nor  their  God;  that 
they  were  ashamed  of  themselves  for  having  ever 
embraced  Christianity;  and  that  they  were  re- 
solved to  maintain  the  ancient  faith  of  their 
country. 

Xavier,  who  was  present  with  the  rest  when 
this  message  was  returned,  was  astounded  as  he 
listened  to  the  blasphemy;  and,  becoming  ardent, 
like  another  Elias,  he  besought  the  Lord  Almighty 
to  stretch  forth  his  arm  and  strike  his  enemies 
with  terror.  As  he  concluded  his  prayer,  the  sun 
instantly  became  obscure,  (though  until  that  mo- 
ment it  was  shining  brilliantly,)  a dense  cloud 
covered  the  horizon,  wThich  was  dark  as  midnight, 
and  a vast  mountain,  situated  about  nine  miles 
from  Tolo,  burst  open  with  a terrific  noise  and 
began  to  vomit  forth  clouds  of  murky  smoke. 
Fearful  roarings  were  heard  all  over  the  island; 
rumbling  motions,  and  even  earthquakes,  were 
sensibly  perceived,  which,  increasing  by  degrees, 
seemed  to  threaten  the  destruction  of  the  whole 
country.  A formidable  wind  arose,  which  up- 
rooted forests;  whilst  a lake  which  ran  through 
the  valley,  bubbling  up  from  beneath,  overran  its 
boundaries  and  swallowed  up  an  entire  hamlet 
with  its  inhabitants.  At  last,  the  volcano,  infu- 
riated and  like  a minor  hell,  began  to  cast  up  ashes, 
flames,  lava,  and  stones,  the  greater  part  of  which 
fell  upon  the  iniquitous  town,  blown  thither  by  the 
breath  of  an  angry  God;  and  an  enormous  mass 
of  hard  stone,  being  violently  dashed  among  the 
buildings,  was  shivered  into  a thousand  fragments, 


488 


THE  LIFE  OF 


which,  being  scattered  about  in  all  directions,  pro* 
duced  incalculable  mischief.  So  tremendous  was 
the  battery  of  Heaven  that  none  of  the  houses  of 
Tolo  were  able  to  withstand  it.  But,  that  it  might 
clearly  appear  that  God  was  the  author  of  the 
destruction,  one  poor  solitary  little  house,  inhabited 
by  the  fathers,  was  alone  left  standing ; and  a few 
small  landed  proprietors,  living  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, who  still  remained  true  to  the  faith  of  Christ, 
escaped  wholly  uninjured  both  in  property  and 
person.  For  three  days  and  three  nights  did  the 
elements  thus  wage  war  upon  the  idolaters,  num- 
bers of  whom  perished  by  fire  or  in  the  ruins.  In 
the  mean  time  the  Portuguese  had  retired  to  their 
boats,  from  whence  they  could  behold  the  miracu- 
lous tragedy ; and  when  our  Lord  ceased  to  battle 
for  them , they  again  came  forth,  and  would  have 
the  glory  of  fighting  too  for  Him.  Stimulated  by 
the  holy  man,  they  boldly  climbed  up  to  the  city, 
and  found  that  the  vast  accumulation  of  ashes  had 
levelled  the  inequalities  of  the  ground  for  them,  so 
that  they  could  easily  make  their  assault.  There 
were  still  rebels  enough  left  to  attempt  a defence; 
but  at  length  the  Portuguese,  passing  the  trenches, 
effected  an  entrance,  and  carried  all  before  them, 
returning  triumphantly  to  Ternate,  without  the 
loss  of  a single  man.  After  returning  due  thanks 
to  God,  Xavier  sent  back  Father  Beira,  who  at 
once  began  to  labor  in  the  conversion  of  the 
people,  whom  he  found  dispersed  in  all  directions. 
By  another  miracle  of  Divine  grace,  he  again  re- 
stored that  Church,  which  might  not  inaptly  be 
called  the  flock  of  the  Penitent  Faithful. 

Having  accompanied  St.  Francis  to  the  Moluccas 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  439 

and  to  the  island  of  Moro,  let  us  now  return  and  ac- 
company him  in  the  voyage  which  he  was  making 
at  the  same  time  from  Goa  to  China.  As  we 
have  already  stated,  he  sailed  on  the  14th  of  April, 
1552.  The  passage  across  the  gulf  was  prosperous 
as  far  as  the  two  isles  of  Nicubar,  to  the  north  of 
Sumatra.  Here  they  found  a boisterous  sea,  which 
in  a short  time  became  a terrific  tempest,  leaving 
them  but  small  chance  of  escape ; and  they  had 
reason  to  be  alarmed  when  the}T  saw  two  large 
vessels  -which  had  sailed  in  company  with  them, 
unable  to  contend  against  the  fury  of  the  elements, 
sink  to  the  bottom  before  their  very  eyes.  The 
ship  which  carried  Xavier,  though  large  and  well 
built,  was  heavily  laden,  and  could  with  difficulty 
be  governed.  Hence  it  was  judged  necessary  to 
lighten  her,  by  throwing  some  of  the  cargo  over- 
board. The  sailors  and  slaves  were  already  drag- 
ging some  of  the  merchandise  up  on  deck  for  this 
purpose,  when  the  saint,  to  whom  God  had  revealed 
the  cessation  of  the  storm,  opposed  it,  telling  them 
that  it  was  occasioning  an  unnecessary  loss  to 
the  merchants.  He  next  appealed  to  the  captain, 
begging  him  to  manage  the  sails  as  well  as  he 
could  for  the  present,  but  that  God  would  certainly 
carry  them  safe  through  the  danger.  The  crew 
objected,  urging  that  generally  at  sunset  a storm 
increased ; and  then,  when  it  would  be  dark,  they 
would  find  it  far  more  difficult  to  ease  the  ship. 
The  saint  bade  them  not  to  trouble  themselves 
about  the  matter,  for  that  the  sea  would  be  quite 
calm,  and  they  would  be  in  sight  of  land,  before 
nightfall.  The  captain,  guided  by  past  experience, 
believed  the  words  of  the  man  of  God,  and  sooc 


493 


THE  LIFE  OF 


found  them  verified.  The  storm  and  the  sun  de- 
clined at  the  same  time ) and  they  likewise  came 
in  sight  of  land.  Whilst  all  the  rest  were  exulting 
at  their  near  approach  to  port,  Xavier  stood  silent 
and  dejected.  Being  asked  the  reason  of  this,  he 
desired  them  to  pray  for  Malacca,  just  attacked  by 
a terrible  epidemic,  which  in  a short  time  would 
carry  off  a vast  multitude  of  people.  On  their 
arrival,  they  found  his  information  but  too  true. 
If  on  former  occasions  his  visits  had  been  welcome, 
now  was  he  welcomed  with  tenfold  delight,  every 
one  hoping  to  be  assisted  by  him,  either  corporally 
or  spiritually.  Nor  were  they  mistaken ; for  no 
sooner  did  he  land,  than  the  sick  sent  for  him  in 
all  directions,  placing  their  souls  in  his  hands,  with 
assured  hopes  of  their  salvation  if  they  had  him  at 
their  bedside.  His  companions,  as  well  as  himself, 
were  indefatigable,  devoting  themselves  day  and 
night  to  the  service  of  the  souls  and  bodies  of  the 
poor  abandoned  sufferers.  The  house  occupied  by 
the  fathers  of  the  Society  was  crammed  full  of 
patients.  Xavier  himself  went  about  the  city, 
picked  up  the  infected  as  they  lay  about  in  the 
streets,  and  carried  them  on  his  shoulders  to  the 
already-overfilled  hospital, — he  having  no  other 
protection  from  the  scorching  rays  of  the  sun  than 
an  old  broad-brimmed  straw  hat.  By  way  of 
providing  shelter  to  the  houseless  who  were  at- 
tacked by  the  contagion,  he  fitted  up  the  old  use- 
less ships  that  were  on  the  sands,  as  well  as  he 
could,  and  there  conveyed  these  poor  objects  of 
bis  compassion  and  charity,  for  whose  support  he 
birself  went  about  begging  from  door  to  door 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  491 

Often  and  often  was  he  nnable  to  snatch  so  much 
as  one  hours  rest  in  the  night. 

Few  or  none  of  those  who  served  the  infected 
escaped  themselves;  and  it  was  universally  held  as 
miraculous  that  he,  who  was  never  clear  of  the 
infected  atmosphere,  suffered  not  in  the  slightest 
degree  from  its  effects.  Whether  or  no  this  was 
miraculous,  the  following  circumstance  decidedly 
was  so.  A youth  named  Francis  Cajus,  the  only 
son  of  his  mother,  heedlessly  put  the  point  of  an 
arrow  into  his  mouth,  without  having  an  idea  that 
it  was  poisoned.  The  Indian  poisons,  be  it  re- 
membered, are  very  prompt  in  their  effects:  in 
this  instance,  the  poison  passed  rapidly  from  the 
tongue  to  the  heart,  and  the  boy  died.  As  they 
were  preparing  the  body  for  burial,  Xavier,  by 
some  chance  or  other,  caught  sight  of  the  bereaved 
mother,  who  was  inconsolable,  and  weeping  bit- 
terly : he  inquired  the  cause  of  her  affliction,  which 
affected  him  extremely : he  entered  the  room 
where  the  corpse  was,  and,  taking  up  one  of  the 
hands,  he  exclaimed,  “Francis,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus,  arise  !”  The  youth  instantly  arose,  alive 
and  well.  Believing  that  a life  thus  miraculously 
restored  ought  to  be  consecrated  to  God,  he  entered 
the  Society  of  Jesus,  but  after  a time  left  it,  and 
joined  the  order  of  St.  Francis,  in  which  he  perse- 
vered faithfully  unto  death. 

We  copy  from  the  Processes  a pleasing  little  in- 
cident, related  by  the  very  person  to  whom  it 
happened.  One  morning,  when  the  saint  went 
out  to  say  mass,  he  left  a young  man  at  home  to 
take  care  of  the  house,  who  during  Xavier’s  absence 
unfortunately  committed  some  sensual  excess.  On 


492 


THE  LIFE  OF 


his  return,  the  holy  man  saw,  as  it  were,  stains 
on  the  youth’s  dress,  and  instantly  said  to  him, 
“ Child,  thou  hast  surely  been  guilty  of  some  sin  : 
go  quickly  and  confess  it.”  The  youth,  thus  de- 
tected, blushed  up  to  the  eyes,  owned  his  fault, 
went  off  immediately  to  confession,  and  when  he 
returned  home  the  saint  saw  no  vestige  of  a stain 
upon  his  dress. 

As  soon  as  the  mortality  had  somewhat  sub- 
sided, our  holy  apostle  resumed  his  preparations 
for  the  embassy  to  China.  Don  Alvarez  Ataide, 
though  nominated  Governor  of  Malacca,  was  not 
yet  in  possession  of  the  charge,  which  for  the 
present  was  in  the  hands  of  Don  Francis  Alvarez, 
the  royal  auditor-general.  On  a previous  occasion 
Ataide  had  professed  himself  the  warm  friend  of 
Xavier,  who  had  confidentially  intrusted  him  with 
his  intentions  upon  China,  telling  him  that  he  was 
returning  to  the  Indies  to  make  the  necessary  ar- 
rangements with  the  viceroy.  Ataide  apparently 
approved  of  all  his  plans,  promising  to  second 
them  in  every  possible  way ; but  when  brought  to 
the  test  he  either  changed  his  mind,  or  had  never 
intended  what  he  said.  Now,  as  heretofore,  how- 
ever, he  received  the  saint  with  a smiling  face  and 
pompous  promises,  though  the  design  of  his  heart 
was  widely  different.  In  real  truth,  his  acts  ought 
not  to  have  belied  his  words,  for  he  was  under 
great  obligations  to  Xavier;  besides  which,  as  a 
Christian,  he  was  bound  not  to  oppose  the  in- 
terests of  religion.  At  his  own  request,  the  holy 
man  procured  from  the  viceroy  letters-patent,  con- 
stituting him  high-admiral  of  that  sea, — because, 
as  he  pretended,  that  title  would  enable  him  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  493 

promote  the  embassy  to  China,  as  placing  the 
ships  belonging  to  the  crown  at  his  disposal.  Nor 
was  this  the  only  favor  which  the  saint  obtained 
for  him  at  Goa:  there  were  several  other  advan- 
tages not  specified  in  the  patent : moreover,  he 
had  attended  upon  him  with  great  charity  during 
his  illness,  even  celebrating  mass  for  him  in  his 
own  private  apartments.  But  in  ignoble  souls 
envy  and  avarice  are  more  powerful  than  the 
virtues  either  of  a cavalier  or  of  a Christian.  He 
envied  .James  Pereira  the  dignity  of  such  an  em- 
bassy, as  well  as  the  gains  which  his  merchandise 
would  realize  in  China:  to  defeat  this  double  object, 
he  affected  to  believe  that  the  letters-patent  assign- 
ing the  embassy  to  James  Pereira  were  intended 
for  a nobleman  of  the  same  name  in  Portugal, 
quite  ridiculing  the  idea  of  having  them  given  to 
a merchant.  Pereira,  warned  by  Xavier,  made 
his  appearance  at  Malacca  with  unaffected  mo- 
desty, assumed  no  pompous  display  as  an  ambas- 
sador, in  order  that  he  might  not  provoke  the 
rancor  of  Ataide ; but  all  proved  to  no  purpose. 
As  soon  as  Pereira  entered  the  port  of  Malacca, 
his  opponent  sent  officers  of  the  crown  to  remove 
the  helm  off  his  ship  and  convey  it  to  the  palace. 
This  was  the  first  act  of  jurisdiction  which  he 
exercised  as  lord  high-admiral, — thus  ungratefully 
and  ungraciously  turning  his  authority  against 
Xavier,  who  had  obtained  it  for  him.  He  at- 
tempted to  justify  the  measure  by  saying  it  was 
necessary  to  the  interests  of  the  crown,  because 
spies  had  informed  him  that  the  Javanese  were 
meditating  a descent  upon  Malacca,  in  which  case 
he  should  require  all  the  vessels  he  could  procure 
42 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF 


This  was  an  ill-concocted  falsehood,  and  was  soon  ex- 
posed, to  the  confusion,  but  not  to  the  amendment, 
of  its  author;  for  in  a few  days  some  Portuguese 
ships  arrived  at  Malacca  from  Java,  bringing  news 
that  the  natives  were  at  war  upon  each  other : so 
far  from  being  likely  to  assail  Malacca,  it  was 
more  probable  they  would  destroy  themselves. 
Xavier’s  penetration  discovered  the  only  remedy 
to  the  evil : he  offered  him,  as  a share  of  the  mer- 
chandise, thirty  thousand  ducats  given  by  Pereira: 
but  he,  who  aspired  to  all,  refused  the  offer ; and 
when  the  treasurer  and  other  officials  reminded 
him  that  it  was  unlawful  to  detain  a vessel  which 
had  paid  all  just  demands,  he  drove  them  from 
hi 8 presence  in  a fury,  saying  that,  as  long  as  he 
was  lord  high-admiral,  James  Pereira  should  never 
go  to  China,  either  as  a merchant  or  as  ambas- 
sador. Indignant  at  such  injustice,  Don  Francis 
Alvarez  would  have  procured  the  rudder  of  Pe- 
reira’s ship  by  force  of  arms,  had  not  Xavier,  who 
dreaded  the  effusion  of  blood,  positively  opposed 
such  a proceeding,  declaring  that  he  would  have 
recourse  to  milder  measures  : he  accordingly  sent 
the  vicar  Soarez,  Father  Perez,  and  some  other 
influential  persons  to  Ataide,  who  were  to  read  to 
him  the  letters  of  the  king  to  Xavier,  in  which 
he  declared  it  to  be  his  royal  will  that  the  father 
should  receive  every  assistance  from  his  ministers, 
in  whatever  concerned  the  interests  of  religion 
throughout  the  kingdoms  of  the  East : moreover, 
they  were  to  show  him  the  declaration  of  the  vice- 
roy, whereby  it  was  made  a capital  offence  (and 
the  greatest  that  could  be  committed)  in  any  one 
Mho  should  oppose  this  enterprise.  Hereupon 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  495 

Ata'ide  became  downright  furious : he  rose  from 
his  seat,  stamped  on  the  floor,  and  exclaimed, 
“ The  interests  of  the  crown  require  it,  as  I say ; 
and  as  I say  it  shall  be  done !” 

Xavier,  seeing  that  all  other  measures  failed, 
took  long  council  with  Almighty  God,  and  then 
decided  on  producing  the  papal  briefs  constituting 
him  apostolic  nuncio, — briefs  which,  during  the 
ten  years  he  had  been  in  India,  had  been  seen  by 
no  one  but  the  Archbishop  of  Goa : his  humility 
had  concealed  them,  leaving  them  like  a sword  in 
its  scabbard , to  use  the  words  of  the  auditors  of 
the  Roman  rota.  Now  he  thought  that  the  glory 
of  God  required  him  not  only  to  wield  the  swTord, 
but  actually  to  strike.  He  showed  the  briefs  to 
the  vicar  John  Soarez,  with  orders  to  inform  Don 
Alvaro  Ata'ide  of  the  sentence  of  excommunica- 
tion which  he  should  issue  against  him.  But  even 
this  did  not  bring  him  back  to  a sense  of  his  duty; 
on  the  contrary,  it  only  exasperated  him  against 
the  saint,  whom  he  accused  of  being  a hypocrite, 
a proud  pretender  to  dignity,  the  partisan  of  a 
base  merchant,  who,  under  pretext  of  gaining 
souls,  only  wanted  to  pick  up  gold.  Much  more 
was  said  in  the  same  strain  ; and  eye-witnesses 
have  affirmed  that  the  saint  could  not  stir  out  of 
his  house  without  being  followed  by  a set  of  in- 
sulting miscreants, — so  that  he  himself  owned  to 
Father  Francis  Perez  that  he  had  not  suffered 
half  as  much  from  the  persecutions  of  the  Moham- 
medans and  pagans  as  he  did  from  these  soi-disant 
Christians.  But,  in  the  midst  of  all  this,  he  re- 
mained calm  and  imperturbable,  more  distressed 
at  Ata'ide’s  sin  than  his  own  sufferings:  he  attri- 


496 


THE  LIFE  OF 


buted  all  these  misfortunes  to  his  own  sins, — in 
proof  of  which,  we  need  only  refer  to  the  letter 
which  he  wrote,  just  before  he  left  Malacca,  to  his 
dear  friend  James  Pereira,  thus  taking  a written 
farewell  of  him,  because  he  did  not  dare  trust  his 
feelings  to  a personal  interview: — “ The  enormity 
of  my  crimes  is  the  reason  why  Almighty  God 
will  not  accept  our  services  in  China  : the  weight 
of  my  sins  is  such  as  to  injure  not  only  myself, 
but  you  and  your  interests  likewise,  and  has  de- 
stroyed an  embassy  which  has  been  so  expensive 
to  you.  God,  however,  knows  my  intention  to- 
ward him  and  you : had  it  been  less  pure  and  up- 
right, I should  certainly  now  be  quite  inconsolable. 
I am  going  on  board  at  once,  in  order  not  to  meet 
with  your  companions,  who  often  seek  me  to  weep 
over  our  common  trials.  God  forgive  those  who 
have  occasioned  all  this  mischief!  One  favor  I 
have  to  beg  of  you, — that  you  do  not  come  to  see 
me  : the  sight  of  your  distress  and  grief  would  be 
too  great  an  aggravation  of  my  own.  I trust, 
however,  that  this  loss  will  prove  to  you  a gain, 
and  that  the  king  will  amply  indemnify  you,  as 
I have  written  to  entreat  of  him  to  do,  begging 
him  to  do  it  in  a manner  worthy  of  your  ready 
zeal  for  the  promotion  of  Christianity.  As  for  the 
captain,  who  had  the  heart  thus  to  frustrate  a 
measure  so  profitable  to  religion,  I have  taken  m\ 
last  leave  of  him : I deplore  his  misfortunes,  for 
undoubtedly  he  will  have  to  pay  more  dearly  for 
his  misdeeds  than  he  imagines.  May  God  preserve 
your  health,  and  may  he  be  the  guide  and  com- 
panion of  my  voyage ! Amen.” 

Though  Xavier  wrote  efficacious  letters  in  be- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  497 

half  of  Pereira  to  the  King  of  Portugal,  he  did 
not  write  a word  in  condemnation  of  Don  Alvaro 
Ataide,  as  he  himself  was  able  to  ascertain.  For  the 
sake  of  security,  Xavier  sent  two  copies  of  his 
letter  by  two  different  occasions,  one  of  which 
was  intercepted  by  Ataide,  probably  suspicious  of 
the  contents.  At  all  events,  when  he  read  the 
letter,  he  found  not  only  no  accusation,  but  not  even 
a complaint.  A pity  it  was  that  he  did  not  know 
that  he  every  morning  offered  mass  for  him,  be- 
sides pouring  forth  floods  of  tears  before  God  for 
his  conversion.  But  he  was  unworthy  of  such  a 
grace;  and  our  Lord,  in  this  instance,  had  less 
regard  to  the  prayers  of  his  servant  than  to  the 
vindication  of  his  honor.  He  revealed  to  Xavier, 
who  consequently  predicted  it,  that  Ataide  would 
not  complete  his  term  of  office,  and  that  such  mis- 
fortunes would  befall  his  person,  property,  and 
reputation  that  the  world  would  load  his  memory 
with  infamy, — misfortunes  which  would  awaken 
terror  in  others;  after  which  he  added,  “but  may 
God  preserve  his  soul !”  Every  word  of  the  pre- 
diction was  most  awfully  verified.  Before  the  ex- 
piration of  two  years,  the  Viceroy  of  the  Indies 
deposed  Ataide,  and  had  him  conveyed  in  irons 
from  Malacca  to  Goa,  from  whence  he  was  sent 
back  to  Portugal.  All  his  property  was  confis- 
cated and  made  over  to  the  royal  treasury,  he  him- 
self being  condemned  to  perpetual  imprisonment; 
and  here  God  put  forth  his  hand  to  complete  the 
chastisement,  by  afflicting  him  with  an  incurable 
lepros}’ : he  is  said  to  have  died  suddenly  of  a 
horrid  imposthume,  which  bred  so  much  filth  and 
corruption  that  no  one  could  bear  to  go  near  him 
2 G 42* 


498 


THE  LIFE  OF 


But  to  return  to  Xavier  and  Pereira.  Ataide 
seized  the  ship  and  cargo  belonging  to  the  latter, 
placing  a captain  and  twenty-five  sailors  (creatures 
of  his  own)  in  command  of  her,  with  orders  to  go 
and  trade  with  China.  God  debited  Pereira’s  loss 
to  His  own  account,  and  made  Himself  his  cre- 
ditor, beginning  from  thenceforward  to  pay  him 
interest,  but  reserving  the  principal  to  be  repaid 
in  the  next  life.  During  their  previous  voyage 
from  China  to  Malacca,  Xavier  had,  in  general 
terms,  foretold  to  Pereira  the  coming  misfortunes; 
and  now  he  prophesied  that  the  king,  Don  John, 
would  make  full  amends  for  his  losses,  and  would 
even  raise  him  to  a higher  rank,  suited  to  his  faith- 
ful service.  As  the  mercantile  profession  is  ever  a 
precarious  one,  so  that  a man  in  the  morning  might 
be  very  rich  and  yet  be  a beggar  at  night,  Xavier 
gave  his  friend  most  comfortable  assurance  against 
these  contingencies,  by  telling  him  that  neither  he 
nor  his  children  should  ever  be  without  the  means 
of  subsistence.  The  prediction  was  verified  once 
by  a manifest  miracle.  A son  of  Pereira’s,  a mer- 
chant like  himself,  was  by  some  accident  or  other 
reduced  to  great  poverty,  so  far  as  not  to  have 
wherewith  to  procure  a dinner  for  himself  and 
family;  but  God  knew  how  to  provide,  sending,  as 
was  firmly  believed,  an  angel  in  the  form  of  a 
youth  to  the  house.  This  youth  was  laden  with 
bread,  fruit,  and  other  comestibles  in  abundance. 
Francis  Pereira  went  to  purchase  something  of 
him,  and,  not  having  auy  money  to  give,  offered 
one  of  his  wife’s  gowns  in  exchange  for  the  pro- 
visions; but  the  stranger  would  not  accept  it, 
telling  Pereira  that  his  word  sufficed, — that  he  was 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAYIER.  499 

to  take  as  much  as  he  pleased  from  his  store,  with- 
out troubling  himself  about  the  rest.  His  whole 
deportment  denoted  that  he  belonged  not  to  the 
inferior  class,  which  his  dress  and  cargo  at  first 
sight  led  Pereira  to  suppose  he  did.  Although  he 
and  his  wife  did  all  they  could  to  discover  their 
unknown  benefactor,  who  had  suddenly  disap- 
peared when  he  had  supplied  their  wants,  never 
afterward  could  they  gain  any  tidings  of  him. 

One  day,  shortly  before  his  departure,  the  saint, 
as  he  was  conversing  with  the  other  fathers,  was 
suddenly  rapt  in  spirit,  and  flung  himself  upon  a 
couch,  where,  after  remaining  silent  for  some  little 
time,  he  rose  apparently  quite  overcome,  like  one 
awakening  from  a painful  dream : then,  drawing 
a deep  sigh,  he  named  a well-known  person  then 
in  Portugal,  and  said,  “ Alas  ! so-and-so , may  God 
forgive  thee  ! God  forgive  thee !”  The  fathers 
were  astounded,  and,  not  venturing  to  question 
him,  they  made  a memorandum  of  the  circum- 
stance, expecting  that  the  mystery  would  be 
cleared  up  later.  Their  next  letters  from  Portugal 
brought  news  that  at  that  very  time  the  Society 
had  been  subjected  to  a heavy  trial,  through  the 
extravagant  whim  of  the  turbulent  person  men- 
tioned by  Father  Francis  in  his  rapture.  They 
were  further  informed  that  Almighty  God  had 
been  pleased  to  appease  the  tempest  and  to  turn 
the  projected  mischief  to  his  own  greater  glory. 
This  fortunate  result  was  commonly  attributed  to 
the  prayers  of  our  saint. 

In  consequence  of  a malady  contracted  in  attend- 
ing on  the  pestiferous,  Father  Francis  Perez  was 
dangerously  ill,  with  no  prospect  of  recovery.  His 


500 


THE  LIFE  OF 


greatest  consolation  arose  from  the  hope  of  breath 
ing  forth  his  soul  in  the  hands  of  his  beloved 
Father  Francis.  • When,  however,  the  saint  went 
to  take  his  last  leave  of  him,  Perez  was  exceed- 
ingly grieved,  and  besought  him  not  to  leave  him 
just  then,  but  to  remain  at  his  side  till  God  should 
be  pleased  to  summon  him  from  this  world.  Here- 
upon Xavier,  pressing  him  affectionately  to  his 
breast,  said  to  him,  “This  may  not  be:  I cannot 
await  your  death,  because  you  will  not  die  as  yet. 
God  will  have  you  live  : he  reserves  you  for  further 
toils  in  the  service  of  the  Church  in  India.”  And 
so  it  turned  out : contrary  to  all  the  rules  of  medi- 
cal science,  Perez  recovered,  and  survived  this 
incident  twenty-seven  years,  persevering  with 
full  fervor  to  the  end,  laboring  in  and  around 
Malacca.  Whilst  halting  in  the  Straits  of  Singa- 
pore on  his  way  to  China,  Xavier  wrote  to  him, 
saying,  “I  do  not  recommend  you  to  attend  to  the 
health  of  your  soul,  because  I know  you  do  so;  but 
I do  advise  you  to  take  care  of  your  body.  When 
you  have  quite  lost  all  fever  and  other  vestige  of 
your  complaint,  I wTill  not  have  you  resume  your 
duties  of  preaching,  hearing  confessions,  or  any 
other  ministerial  labor,  for  at  least  twenty  days. 
I wish  you,  on  the  contrary,  to  do  all  you  can  for 
the  complete  restoration  of  your  health.” 

The  last  thing  done  by  the  holy  father  in  Ma- 
lacca was  to  send  three  of  his  companions  to 
Japan, — Father  Gago  to  the  King  of  Bungo,  and 
the  other  two  to  Amanguki.  Just  at  this  moment, 
Father  Beira  unexpectedly  arrived  from  the  Mo- 
luccas, bringing  most  gratifying  accounts  of  the 
progress  of  religion  in  those  islands. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  501 

As  it  was  now  the  season  for  the  Chinese  voyage, 
and  as  the  Santa  Cruz,  in  which  he  was  going  to 
sail,  was  nearly  ready,  he  went  to  bid  a last  fare- 
well to  his  friends,  and  to  implore  the  blessing  of 
Our  Lady  at  the  Church  del  Monte,  where  he  re- 
mained in  prayer  till  sunset, — when  the  mate  of 
the  ship  informed  him  that  they  were  raising  the 
anchor  and  that  the  sails  were  already  spread. 
Great  was  the  affliction  of  the  people  at  the  pros- 
pect of  losing  the  holy  man,  and  many  reasons 
were  adduced  to  dissuade  him,  if  possible,  from  his 
dangerous  enterprise;  but  to  all  this  he  replied 
that  wheresoever  God  called,  thither  it  behooved 
him  to  go.  Followed  by  a vast  crowd  of  the  sor- 
rowing people,  he  descended  to  the  beach.  On  the 
way,  the  vicar  Soarez  drew  him  aside,  and  anxiously 
inquired  whether  he  had  taken  leave  of  the  cap- 
tain ; adding  that  he  thought  the  omission  of  this 
mark  of  respect  might  give  scandal.  Xavier 
answered,  “ God  preserve  me  from  saluting  an  ex- 
communicated man ! Don  Alvaro  will  never  see 
me  again  in  this  life  : I await  him  at  the  judgment- 
seat  of  God,  to  give  an  account  of  himself  and  of 
the  defeat  of  this  measure.”  On  passing  a little 
church  built  on  the  shore,  he  knelt  down  at  tht 
threshold,  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  prayed 
aloud  with  great  fervor  for  the  salvation  of  the 
unfortunate  Ataide;  then,  prostrating,  with  his 
face  to  the  ground,  he  spent  a short  time  in  silent 
prayer, — after  which  he  arose,  and,  taking  off  his 
shoes,  he,  with  a most  moving  expression  of 
countenance,  shook  them  against  each  other,  and 
against  a stone,  declaring  that  he  would  not  carry 
away  with  him  so  much  as  a grain  of  the  soil  of  so 


502 


THE  LIFE  OF 


guilty  and  perverse  a place ; and,  predicting  the 
chastisements  which  overhung  Don  Alvaro,  he  en- 
tered the  ship,  leaving  the  people  mute  with  awe 
and  astonishment,  every  one  weeping  bitterly  as 
they  took  their  last  look  of  him. 

It  was  Pereira’s  ship,  though  few  of  its  people 
now  belonged  to  him,  the  majority  being  the  parti- 
sans of  Ataide.  Such  of  them  as  were  still  in  the 
pay  of  Pereira  had  strict  orders  from  him  to  pay 
all  possible  attention  to  the  saint.  And  here  we 
must  relate  another  remarkable  incident  which  oc- 
curred some  time  before  he  left  Malacca.  Xavier 
asked  Pereira  to  which  of  his  men  he  had  recom- 
mended him,  and  to  whom  he  was  to  apply  for  his 
allowance  of  bread  and  water  whilst  at  sea.  His 
friend  answered  that  he  had  given  the  necessary 
instructions  to  his  own  agent,  who  would  attend 
to  him,  and  that  he  was  to  share  his  comfortable 
little  cabin  with  him.  The  saint  instantly  replied, 
“Your  agent  will  provide  but  little  either  for  you 
or  me : you  must  look  out  for  some  one  else  to 
recommend  me  to.  Mendez,  the  agent,  will  not 
accompany  us  to  China  : he  will  remain  and  die 
here  at  Malacca.”  This  announcement  seemed 
strange  to  Pereira,  considering  the  present  healthy 
condition  of  Mendez ; and,  not  imagining  any  thing 
preternatural  in  the  prediction,  he  quietly  remarked 
to  Xavier,  “How  so?  he  is  very  well,  and  in  the 
full  vigor  of  life.”  “Very  likely,”  rejoined  the 
holy  man : “ nevertheless,  it  will  be  so.  There- 
fore, confide  your  interests  and  me  to  some  one 
else  in  time.”  This  was  sufficient  for  Pereira,  wno 
appointed  Thomas  Scandel  as  his  agent.  The  pro- 
phecy was  fulfilled.  Mendez,  who  had  not  com- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


503 


pleted  his  arrangements  when  the  vessel  sailed, 
made  his  excuses  and  remained  behind.  He  died 
three  or  four  days  after  Xavier  had  started  from 
Malacca. 

More  numerous  than  ever  were  the  miracles 
wrought  by  our  apostle  during  this  his  last  voyage 
on  earth.  God  seemed,  as  it  were,  in  haste  to 
render  him  illustrious,  and  by  new  glories  to  com- 
pensate for  the  recent  insults  to  which  he  had  been 
subjected  at  Malacca.  The  first  we  meet  with  is 
the  famous  transmutation  of  salt  water  into  fresh. 
The  Santa  Cruz  carried  in  all  about  five  hundred 
individuals,  for  whom  a competent  supply  of  fresh 
water  had  been  provided;  but  when  they  had 
reached  about  midway  they  were  suddenly  be- 
calmed, and  remained  so  for  fourteen  days,  as 
stationary  as  if  they  were  at  anchor  or  in  port. 
In  the  mean  time  the  water  became  so  scarce  that 
only  a small  measure  for  drinking  could  be  allowed 
to  each  person  : it  was  far  too  precious  to  be  used 
for  culinary  purposes;  and  the  crew  began  to  die, 
or  grow  delirious,  the  effect  of  sheer  thirst.  The 
skiff  had  been  despatched  in  search  of  some  river, 
or  island  where  springs  would  be  found  and  thus 
xfford  them  a supply.  For  seven  days  was  this 
fruitless  search  continued, — when  at  last,  the  case 
oeing  desperate,  the  miserable  people  seemed  to 
open  their  eyes  to  the  conviction  that  the  means 
of  escape  was  actually  in  their  own  hands,  Father 
Francis  Xavier  being  on  board.  One  of  them  went 
round  and  reminded  his  companions  of  the  influ- 
mce  of  the  holy  man’s  prayers.  This  was  enough : 
they  repaired  to  him  in  a body,  and,  by  tears 
rather  than  words,  besought  him  to  have  compas- 


504 


THE  LIFE  OF 


eion  on  their  deplorable  condition,  for  that  if  he 
would  only  ask  it  of  God,  he  could  save  them  all 
from  death,  by  obtaining  either  wind  or  water. 
Deeply  affected  by  their  common  misery,  the  saint 
knelt  down  at  the  foot  of  a crucifix,  when  all 
together  they  sang  the  Litanies,  after  which  he 
dismissed  them,  bidding  them  confide  in  God : 
tnen,  retiring  to  his  own  cabin,  he  remained  there 
a short  time  in  fervent  prayer.  On  coming  forth, 
he  ordered  the  skiff  to  be  lowered,  which  he  en- 
tered, accompanied  by  a young  lad,  whom  he  de- 
sired to  dip  his  hand  into  the  sea  and  to  tell  him 
how  the  water  tasted.  “ Salt/'  said  the  child. 

“ Try  it  again,”  exclaimed  Xavier.  He  did  so, 
and  pronounced  it  sweet.  On  reascending  to  the 
ship,  he  beckoned  to  a Mohammedan,  telling  him 
to  order  the  sailors  to  fill  all  the  water-casks  with 
sea-water,  which  was  done, — many  people  tasting  ; 
the  water  from  curiosity:  one  and  all  declared  it  j 
to  be  in  its  natural  state,  namely,  a bitter  salt,  j 
Over  all  these  vessels  Xavier  just  made  the  sign 
of  the  cross,  when  instantly  the  sea-water  was 
changed  into  fresh:  the  eager  crew  and  passengers  I 
drank  of  it,  to  their  infinite  relief,  and  unanimously 
declared  that  the  water  was  superior  to  that  of  1 
Bangan,  a place  noted  for  its  delicious  springs.  ! 
Incredible  was  the  delight  and  even  the  devotion 
of  the  poor  sufferers  at  this  unexpected  deliverance,  j 
They  all  cried  out,  “ A miracle  ! a miracle ! Father  I 
Francis  is  a saint!”  They  crowded  round  him  to 
thank  him,  and  kiss  his  hands  and  feet;  but  he; 
gently  reminded  them  that  the  favor  came  entirely  j 
from  God,  and  not  from  a sinful  man  like  himself. 
Nor  was  he  without  his  share  of  consolation  amidst  { 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


505 


this  universal  joy.  The  majority  of  the  passengers 
»vere  Mohammedans,  Arabs,  who  with  their  wives 
and  families  were  passing  over  to  China.  These 
came  to  him  in  a body,  fell  at  his  feet,  declared  the 
God  of  the  Christians  to  be  the  true  God,  and  de- 
manded baptism,  which,  to  the  glory  of  Christ, 
was  conferred  with  as  much  solemnity  as  circum- 
stances would  allow.  As  for  the  water,  which  the 
blessing  of  the  saint  had  rendered  sweet,  it  was 
divided  among  the  people,  every  one  deeming  him- 
self happy  in  being  able  to  preserve  some  of  it  for 
future  purposes.  It  was  kept  as  a sort  of  relic  of 
the  saint,  and  numberless  cures  and  other  miracles 
were  afterward  effected  by  means  of  it. 

The  following  miracle,  though  not  so  universally 
advantageous,  was  still  more  stupendous  than  the 
former.  Whilst  the  ship  was  advancing  at  full 
sail,  a child,  five  years  old,  the  son  of  a Moor,  by 
some  accident  fell  overboard.  So  great  was  the 
actual  velocity  of  the  passage,  that  it  was  impos- 
sible to  lower  the  sails  and  tack  about  in  time  to 
render  any  assistance  to  the  poor  child,  who  was, 
necessarily,  left  to  perish.  The  wretched  father 
was  like  one  distracted : he  went  and  hid  himself, 
that  he  might  be  able  to  give  free  vent  to  his  grief. 
After  some  days  he  again  made  his  appearance, 
though  with  still  weeping  eyes.  Xavier,  who  had 
heard  nothing  of  the  accident,  happening  to  meet 
him,  inquired  the  cause  of  his  distress, — of  which 
the  poor  man  gave  him  a detailed  account.  .Recol- 
lecting himself,  as  usual,  for  a few  moments,  he 
said  to  him,  “Supposing  Almighty  God  were  to 
bring  your  child  back  again  to  the  ship,  alive  and 
well:  would  you  promise  me  to  believe  in  him  and 
43 


506 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  become  a Christian  ?”  Whether  he  believed  the 
thing  to  be  possible  or  not,  we  cannot  say : at  all 
events,  he  unhesitatingly  gave  the  promise.  Three 
days  later,  just  before  sunset,  the  child  was  seen 
seated  in  the  same  spot  from  whence  he  had  been 
precipitated  into  the  sea.  He  could  give  no  account 
of  what  had  happened  to  him  during  the  six  days 
which  passed  from  the  time  of  his  fall  till  that  of 
his  reappearance.  He  remembered  that  he  had 
fallen  overboard,  but  how  he  got  back  again  he 
knew  not.  His  father  nearly  expired  of  joy.  He 
could  well  account  for  the  miraculous  interposition 
nor  did  he  need  reminding  of  his  promise.  He,  his 
wife,  his  child,  and  a servant,  went  and  threw  them- 
selves at  the  saint’s  feet,  demanding  baptism,  which 
was  readily  conferred  by  Xavier.  Out  of  respect 
to  the  holy  man,  and  in  memory  of  so  extraor- 
dinary a favor,  he  would  have  his  child  christened 
by  the  name  of  Francis. 

These  two  stupendous  miracles,  witnessed  by  all 
on  board,  caused  our  apostle  to  be  looked  upon  as 
a wonderful  man;  and  when  the  vessel  touched  at 
Chinchoo,  on  the  Chinese  coast,  crowds  of  Ethio- 
pians and  Indians,  chiefly  Mohammedans,  went  on 
board  expressly  to  see  him.  As  if  Almighty  God 
had  brought  them  as  prey  to  his  net,  be  began  to 
preach  to  them  on  the  mysteries  of  the  Christian 
religion;  and  before  he  had  finished  his  sermon 
they  were  all  convinced  of  the  truth  of  his  words, 
and  he  baptized  them  in  the  ship  before  she  quitted 
the  port.  As  he  was  in  the  act  of  baptizing  them, 
another  miracle  occurred.  The  saint’s  stature  be- 
came considerably  heightened, — so  much  so,  that 
the  people  ashore  supposed  him  to  be  standing  on 


t 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  507 

a stool;  but  as  they  saw  him  move  about  among 
the  neophytes,  and  there  was  no  change  of  stature, 
they  began  to  think  there  was  some  miracle  in 
question : so,  to  assure  themselves  of  it,  several  of 
them  passed  over  to  the  ship,  where  they  found 
the  saint  actually  standing  on  the  sam#  boarding 
with  all  the  rest,  yet  so  much  taller  than  them  all 
that  he  had  to  lower  his  arm  to  pour  the  baptismal 
water  on  the  heads  of  the  converts.  When  the 
ceremony  was  over,  he  returned  to  his  ordinary 
height. 

Whilst  he  was  at  Chinchoo,  he  foretold  a death 
in  a very  decided  manner.  The  saint  was  saying 
his  Office,  as  he  strolled  along  the  beach,  when  he 
saw  several  persons  putting  a sick  man  into  a boat 
in  order  to  convey  him  to  the  ship,  where  they 
thought  he  would  be  better  taken  care  of  and 
would  sooner  recover.  The  saint  hade  them  not 
to  take  him  on  board,  for  that,  if  they  did,  he 
would  certainly  die  there.  But  either  the  invalid 
wished  it,  or  the  others  did  not  believe  Xavier’s 
word.  At  all  events,  they  did  not  obey  him;  see- 
ing which,  he  said  to  them,  “ Carry  him  there, 
then,  if  you  will ; but  I tell  you  that  they  who 
now  take  him  there  alive  will  soon  have  to  bring 
him  back  dead.”  Scarcely  had  the  man  reached 
the  ship  when  his  fever  grew  much  worse,  and  he 
died  in  the  space  of  a few  hours, — so  that  the  same 
people  who  had  conveyed  him  thither  brought  him 
back  for  burial. 

From  Chinchoo  they  sailed  for  Sancian,  an  island 
where  the  Portuguese  were  permitted  to  trade  with 
China.  They  had  already  passed  it,  and  were  ap- 
proaching Canton,  had  not  Xavier  assured  the 


508 


THE  LIFE  OF 


sailors  that  they  had  miscalculated  the  distance 
They  were  unwilling  to  be  persuaded  of  this,  and 
would  have  proceeded,  had  not  the  captain  decided 
on  casting  anchor,  whilst  the  skiff  was  sent  to 
reconnoitre  the  neighboring  coast.  But  as  the 
party  sent^did  not  return  in  three  days,  those  on 
board  becsmie  exceedingly  alarmed  lest  their  com 
panions  had  perished  in  one  of  the  terrible  whirl- 
winds peculiar  to  those  seas.  As  Xavier  witnessed 
their  distress,  he  assured  the  captain  of  their  safety, 
and  that  they  would  soon  make  their  appearance, 
bringing  refreshments  from  the  Portuguese  at 
Sancian.  His  every  word  proved  true.  The  skiff 
soon  reached  them,  convinced  them  that  they  had 
mistaken  their  distance,  and  escorted  them  safe  to 
the  port  of  Sancian,  twenty-three  days  after  they 
quitted  Malacca. 

Sancian,  properly  speaking,  consists  of  three 
small  islands,  at  so  small  a distance  from  each 
other  as  to  seem  like  one:  they  are  but  thinly 
peopled,  and  of  poor,  unproductive  soil.  Strict 
observers  of  their  ancient  laws,  the  Chinese  allow 
no  foreigners  to  set  foot  in  their  country : never- 
theless, to  secure  the  advantages  of  commerce  with 
Portugal,  they  allow  the  Portuguese  to  negotiate 
mercantile  affairs  on  this  island:  to  attempt  to 
proceed  any  further  would  be  to  incur  the  penalty 
of  death  : nor  are  they  permitted  to  build  sub- 
stantial houses  at  Sancian, — nothing  more  than 
wooden  huts,  which  must  be  removed  on  their  de- 
parture. 

Ho  chains,  no  slavery,  no  prospect  of  death, 
would  have  been  able  to  withhold  our  holy  apostle 
from  effecting  an  entrance,  by  some  means  or  other 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER  509 

into  this  long-sighed-for,  long-sought  empire  of 
China.  Nevertheless,  God,  who  rules  all  things 
according  to  his  high  Providence,  had  predeter- 
mined that  here  (at  Sancian)  he  should  end  his 
travels  and  rest  from  his  labors. 

In  after-times  there  would  not  be  wanting  others 
of  his  own  order,  inheritors  of  his  own  spirit,  who 
would  triumphantly  carry  in  the  banner  of  Christ 
which  he  himself  had  planted  at  the  door. 

There  were  several  Portuguese  merchants  with 
their  ships  then  at  Sancian,  who  made  a festival  of 
this  unexpected  arrival  of  their  saintly  father,  and, 
with  great  atfection  and  devotion,  set  to  work  and 
built  him  a little  church,  composed  of  wood  and 
evergreens, — a task  which  they  completed  in  two 
days.  Here  he  regularly  celebrated  holy  mass; 
but,  for  giving  instruction  to  children,  reconciling 
discords  which  were  perpetually  occurring  among 
the  soldiers  and  sailors,  correcting  immorality  and 
injustice,  for  preaching  and  hearing  confessions, 
the  whole  port,  and  every  ship  in  it,  served  him  as 
a church.  Among  his  many  other  works  of  Chris- 
tian piety,  he  contrived  to  settle  a young  female 
orphan,  exposed  to  great  danger,  by  providing  a 
suitable  marriage,  he  raising  a portion  for  her  from 
one  of  his  friends  : this  was  a rich  merchant  named 
Peter  Vellio,  a pleasant  man,  a free  liver,  though 
not  a profligate : he  was  a great  alms-giver,  and 
was  affectionately  attached  to  our  saint,  whom  he 
became  acquainted  with  in  Japan,  and  the  two  had 
sailed  together  from  thence  to  the  Indies.  Xavier 
had  often  exhorted  him  to  clear  off  some  of  his 
accounts  with  God, — in  other  words,  to  expiate 
the  sins  of  his  past  life,  especially  by  an  occasional 
43* 


510 


THE  LIFE  OF 


use  of  the  discipline;  but  Vellio  excused  himself, 
under  the  plea  of  delicate  health,  saying,  too,  that 
he  really  had  not  the  courage  to  ill  treat  his  own 
body.  The  saint,  therefore,  undertook  to  do  it  for 
him,  though  without  telling  him  so,  and  accord- 
ingly used  to  withdraw  to  a private  part  of  the 
ship  and  there  scourge  himself  in  atonement  for 
the  sins  of  his  friend.  Yellio  once  caught  him  in 
the  act;  and,  moved  by  his  generous  charity,  he 
promised  the  saint  alms  enough  to  assist  all  his 
poor.  This  poor  orphan's  case  seemed  one  well  de- 
serving of  Yellio’s  benevolence,  and  he  set  out  in 
search  of  him,  and  found  him  at  a friend’s  house 
engaged  in  a game  either  of  draughts  or  chess.  Ad- 
vancing, Xavier  asked  an  alms  for  the  love  of  God. 
The  other,  who  loved  a joke,  said  to  him,  “ What, 
Father  Francis!  come  to  ask  money  from  a poor 
gambler  when  he  is  not  at  home?  Is  this  a time 
to  expect  cash  from  me,  when  I am  doing  my  best 
to  win  money  from  others  ?”  The  saint  quietly 
rejoined  that  it  was  well  to  do  good  at  all  times, 
and  that  the  best  time  for  bestowing  an  alms  was 
when  the  money  was  actually  in  one’s  hand. 
“ Well,  well,”  said  Yellio,  pretending  to  be  vexed, 
“ here,  take  my  key,”  (giving  the  key  of  his  money- 
chest,  containing  forty-five  thousand  ducats  :)  “you 
will  find  money  in  my  chest,  and  you  may  take  it 
all  if  you  like.”  But  Xavier  only  took  out  three 
hundred  scudi,  the  sum  required  for  his  purpose. 
When  Yellio  next  visited  his  chest,  he  found  not  a 
penny  of  his  money  gone,  and  went  off  to  Xavier 
to  quarrel  with  him,  as  he  said,  for  not  having 
made  use  of  his  key.  The  saint  assured  him  he 
had  taken  three  hundred  ducats.  “ If  you  did,” 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


511 


said  Yellio,  u there  is  not  a farthing  missing  from 
my  store,  so  God  forgive  you,  Father  Francis! 
when  I gave  you  my  key,  it  was  with  the  intention 
that  the  monejr  in  the  chest  should  have  been 
equally  divided  between  you  and  me.”  He  spoke 
from  his  heart;  and  so  Xavier  saw.  Fixing  his 
eyes  upon  him,  he  said,  with  great  warmth  and 
feeling,  and  with  a beaming  countenance,  “ Peter, 
in  the  sight  of  God,  who  measures  the  intention  of 
the  heart,  }’Our  offering  is  as  grateful  as  the  gift 
would  have  been : in  due  time  he  will  himself 
repay  you;  and  I now  promise  you,  in  his  name, 
that  never  in  this  life  shall  you  be  without  the 
means  of  comfortable  subsistence : you  will  often 
be  on  the  verge  of  poverty  and  bankruptcy,  but 
friends  will  always  be  at  hand  to  assist  you:  more- 
over, you  will  not  die  without  being  first  warned 
of  the  da}7.”  Wonderful  to  relate,  from  that  day 
Yellio  was  changed  into  another  man,  attending 
only  to  the  welfare  of  his  soul  and  to  works  of 
piety, — so  that,  whilst  still  in  the  profession  of  a 
merchant,  he  led  the  life  of  a religious.  The 
promises  of  Francis  were  a source  of  continual 
satisfaction  to  him,  more  especially  that  one  re- 
lating to  his  forewarning  of  death.  As  the  saint 
gave  him  no  specific  idea  as  to  what  the  indication 
would  consist  in,  he  one  day  plainly  asked  him  the 
question.  Without  a moment’s  hesitation,  Xavier 
answered,  “ When  your  wine  tastes  bitter,  then 
prepare  for  death,  for  it  will  be  close  at  hand.” 
Now  let  us  see  how  accurately  the  prediction  was 
verified.  Yellio  lived  to  venerable  old  age,  pros- 
perous to  the  end;  yet  he  was  more  than  onco  all- 
but  ruined:  his  friends,  however,  no  sooner  heard 


512 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  his  embarrassments  than  they  promptly  came 
forward  with  their  purses  and  saved  him  from 
insolvency.  Finally,  one  day,  as  he  was  seated 
at  table  at  a grand  banquet,  he  called  for  wine:  on 
tasting  it,  he  found  it  bitter,  and,  with  a start,  he 
remembered  the  words  of  the  saint.  To  avoid  all 
danger  of  mistake,  he  requested  several  of  the 
guests  to  taste  the  wine  in  his  cup : they  did  so, 
and  unanimously  pronounced  it  exquisite.  Not 
satisfied  with  this,  he  called  for  other  wines  and 
other  cups ; but  to  him  all  alike  were  bitter.  No 
vestige  of  doubt  remained  on  his  mind : raising 
his  eyes  to  heaven,  he  at  once  made  an  offering  of 
his  life  to  God,  and  then  related  the  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances of  his  case  to  his  surrounding  friends: 
he  made  his  final  arrangements,  giving  a consider- 
able part  of  his  property  to  the  poor,  providing 
suitably  for  his  children  with  the  rest.  He  then 
took  leave  of  his  friends,  many  of  whom,  seeing 
him  so  hale  and  well,  thought  that  old  age  was 
weakening  his  mind,  and  therefore  did  their  best 
to  divert  him  from  what  they  called  depression  of 
spirits.  They  proposed  parties  of  pleasure  to  him, 
which  he  declined,  requesting  them  to  favor  him 
with  their  company  at  church  the  following  morn- 
ing. Here,  preparations  had  been  made  for  a 
solemn  funeral-service:  he  received  the  holy  via- 
ticum and  extreme  unction,  and  then  stretched 
himself  on  the  bier  during  the  celebration  of  a 
requiem  mass.  The  church  was  crowded  with 
spectators,  some  attracted  by  the  novelty  of  the 
thing  and  others  by  curiosity  to  watch  the  event, 
whilst  some  few  went  to  ridicule  the  folly  of  poor 
uld  Yellio.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  mass,  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  513 

officiating  priest  and  his  assistants  chanted  the 
last  responsary,  he  being  still  alive : they  passed 
round  the  bier,  making  the  usual  absolution  ; and, 
when  all  was  over,  Vellio’s  servant  approached  the 
bier  to  assist  his  aged  master  to  rise  from  it.  He 
found  him  dead  ! Subdued  voices  of  awe  and  sur- 
prise ran  through  the  building ; tears  of  devotion 
streamed  from  many  an  eye;  whilst  loud  were  the 
benedictions  invoked  on  the  memory  of  holy  Father 
Francis,  who  had  then  been  many  years  at  rest. 
As  the  report  of  this  remarkable  event  spread 
through  the  Indies,  devotion  to  the  saint  became 
greatly  increased ; whilst  many  who  before  had 
oared  little  for  the  poor,  taught  by  the  happy  ex- 
ample of  Yellio,  became  munificent  in  alms-deeds. 

We  find  in  the  Processes  that  Xavier  restored  a 
dead  child  to  life  on  the  island  of  Sancian,  the 
details  of  which  are  not  given.  But  we  are  dis- 
tinctly informed  that  at  this  time  the  country  was 
infested  with  tigers  in  such  numbers  that  they 
prowled  about  in  troops,  devouring  children  and 
men.  One  night  Xavier  went  forth  and  met 
them : he  sprinkled  them  with  holy  water,  com- 
manding them  never  more  to  injure  any  one  of 
the  natives.  From  thenceforward  no  tiger  was 
seen  on  the  island. 

God  made  known  to  him  by  revelation  that 
there  was  strife  at  Malacca  between  the  captain 
Don  Alvaro  Ataide  and  Don  Bernardin  di  Sosa, 
just  arrived  from  the  Moluccas  : he  gave  an  ac- 
count of  this  to  the  Portuguese  who  were  with 
him ; and  when  the  next  set  of  ships  arrived  at 
Sancian  from  Malacca,  his  revelation  was  verified 
by  the  news  they  brought. 


514 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Just  as  distinctly  did  he  behold  the  progress  of  a 
ship  in  which  several  of  his  associates  were  in- 
terested. She  had  sailed  from  Malacca  to  Japan, 
and  was  at  high  sea,  when  one  of  those  terrible 
tornadoes  arose,  from  which  escape  was  scarcely 
possible  except  by  miracle.  As  she  was  freighted 
with  a very  rich  cargo,  her  owners  w^ere  extremely 
uneasy  about  her,  and  yet  were  unable  to  obtain 
iny  information.  They  had  recourse  to  Father 
Francis,  well  knowing  that  the  eye  of  his  mind 
could  penetrate  distant  as  well  as  future  events. 
He  at  once  assured  them  that  they  need  feel  no 
mxiety  about  their  ship,  for  that  she  had  certainly 
reached  Japan  in  safety.  They  were  satisfied  with 
this  for  a time, — till,  finding  the  season  prefixed 
for  the  return  of  these  ships  passing  away  without 
any  tidings  of  the  one  in  question,  their  fears  were 
again  excited,  and  again  they  had  recourse  to  the 
saint,  who  gently  reproved  them  for  their  want  of 
faith.  He  comforted  them,  nevertheless,  telling 
them  that  before  the  end  of  the  week  their  ship 
would  be  in  the  harbor  of  Macao.  And  this 
proved  to  be  the  case ; for  she  arrived  there  two 
days  afterward  laden  with  riches. 

The  wonderful  and  sublime  gift  of  prophecy, 
so  familiar  to  Father  Francis,  was  by  no  means 
confined  to  the  details  given  in  this  work,  nume- 
rous and  striking  as  they  are ; but  I have  neces- 
sarily confined  myself  to  those  cases  which  were 
authentically  proved  in  the  Processes.  To  have 
done  otherwise  would  have  required  a separate 
history,  so  numerous  are  the  miracles  wrought  by 
St.  Francis  Xavier  before  and  after  his  death.  As 
Holy  Scripture,  when  describing  the  riches  pre- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAYIER.  515 

pared  by  king  David  for  the  building  of  the  temple, 
enumerates  the  ingots  of  gold,  silver,  and  other 
precious  metals,  passing  over  the  iron,  lead,  and 
such  as  are  more  common,  merely  saying  they 
were  beyond  compute,  so  do  I,  in  relating  the 
miracles  of  this  man  of  God,  dwell  on  the  most  re 
markable  and  authentic,  merely  hinting  at  the 
rest,  content  to  record  what  was  asserted  by  one 
of  the  judges  who  was  examined  in  India.  He 
expressly  says  that,  if  he  undertook  to  relate  those 
only  which  had  reached  his  own  knowledge,  they 
would  suffice  to  fill  an  immense  volume.  Other 
eye-witnesses,  when  questioned  on  oath,  declared 
that  Xavier  cured  all  the  sick  he  touched.  More- 
over, the  same  result  was  noticed  with  regard  to 
those  who  were  touched  with  any  thing  belonging 
to  him, — for  instance,  his  rosary,  crucifix,  disci- 
pline, breviary,  and  even  the  crosses  which  he 
erected  in  public  places;  insomuch  that  the  very' 
pagans  used  to  call  him  the  man  descended  from 
heaven,  and  the  master  of  marvels ; that  some  of 
the  countries  converted  by  him  stood  immovable 
against  all  the  persecutions  of  the  idolaters,  chiefly 
in  consequence  of  the  miracles  which  they  had 
seen  him  work. 

With  regard  to  his  predictions,  they  were  so 
continual,  so  circumstantial  and  minute,  that  it 
was  firmly  believed  that  in  him  the  gift  of  pro* 
phecy  was  non-interrupted, — unlike  most  other 
saints,  in  whom  it  was,  as  we  may  say,  only  ac- 
cidental and  temporary.  The  gift  appeared  in 
him  even  before  he  reached  the  Indies  : the  reader 
will  remember  his  denunciation  of  the  ship  when 
he  was  at  Mozambique.  From  thenceforward,  to 


516 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  last  hour  of  his  life,  he  continued  to  foretell 
future  and  to  see  distant  events  as  accurately  as  if 
both  one  and  the  other  had  actually  been  present. 
Father  Anthony  Quadros,  a very  sensible  and 
worthy  man,  provincial  of  the  Indies,  declared  he 
could  mention  upward  of  a hundred  thousand  of 
such  instances,  but  that  prophecy  was  so  common 
to  Father  Francis  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places, 
that  it  ceased  to  be  looked  upon  as  wonderful,  and 
in  his  case  was  thought  no  more  of  than  the  ordi- 
nary mode  of  speech  was  in  other  persons.  But 
to  return  to  our  narrative. 

We  have  said  that  Xavier’s  unexpected  arrival 
at  Sancian  had  given  great  delight  to  the  Portu- 
guese there  ; but  when  they  heard  that  he  intended 
passing  over  to  China,  they  were  exceedingly 
grieved,  both  from  affection  to  him  as  well  as  from 
anxiety  for  their  interests.  They  therefore  used 
the  most  powerful  arguments  to  dissuade  him  from 
his  purpose,  dwelling  on  the  rigor  of  the  Chinese 
laws  against  the  admission  of  foreigners,  the  in- 
exorable cruelty  of  the  mandarins  in  executing 
these  laws,  and  the  vigilance  of  the  sentinels  ap- 
pointed to  watch  the  coasts;  that  if  he  were  seized, 
(of  which  there  could  be  little  doubt,)  death,  or 
perpetual  imprisonment,  would  be  the  inevitable 
result;  that  if  it  were  his  object  to  meet  with 
either  of  these  two,  he  need  only  cross  the  stream 
which  divided  their  island  from  the  mainland  ; but 
that  if  he  wished  to  preach  the  gospel,  they  hoped 
Almighty  God  would  change  his  mind,  and  induce 
him  to  repair  to  some  other  country,  where,  in- 
stead of  himself  being  lost,  as  he  surely  would  be 
there,  he  might  gain  others  to  the  law  of  God.  As 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


517 


for  China,  they  assured  him  that  it  was  one  and 
the  same  thing  for  a foreigner  to  enter  it  alive, 
and  then  to  die,  or,  at  least,  to  be  buried  alive  in 
one  of  their  wretched  prisons.  This  had  been  ex- 
perienced, to  their  cost,  by  a few  unfortunate 
sailors,  who,  without  an}7  fault  of  theirs,  had  been 
wrecked  on  the  coast  of  China  the  preceding  year, 
and  who,  for  this  unavoidable  offence,  had  first 
been  nearly  bastinadoed  to  death,  and  then  been 
pitilessly  thrown  into  a dungeon,  where  the}7  were 
left  to  pine  away  their  miserable  existence, — if, 
indeed,  they  still  remained  alive;  for  of  this  their 
countrymen  could  gain  no  certain  information. 
Finally,  they  asked  him  whether  there  were  not 
rashness  in  thus  as  it  were  tempting  God,  by  thus 
flinging  himself  into  the  jaws  of  death. 

The  saint's  answer  shall  be  given  in  his  own 
terms,  as  written  to  Father  Francis  Perez.  After 
specifying  the  dangers  attendant  on  the  much- 
dreaded  transit  from  Sancian  to  China,  he  adds, 
u But  there  are  other  still  greater  dangers  to  be 
encountered,  though  not  so  clear  and  manifest; 
but  it  would  occupy  too  much  time  to  detail  them 
all : I will,  therefore,  only  specify  a few.  First, 
diffidence  in  the  benignity  and  Providence  of  God; 
more  especially  as  I came  here,  not  only  for  his 
sake,  but  also  in  obedience  to  his  will,  that  I might 
teach  these  people  his  most  holy  law,  and  bring 
them  to  the  knowledge  of  his  only  Son  Jestfs 
Christ,  the  fount  of  our  salvation.  Since,  then, 
his  benignity  is  pleased  to  employ  me  in  this 
work,  were  I to  doubt  of  his  assistance  and  favor, 
or  were  I to  recoil  before  the  dangers  which 
threaten  me,  would  not  such  diffidence  be  an  in* 
44 


518 


THE  LIFE  OF 


comparably  greater  evil  than  all  his  enemies  could 
inflict  upon  me  ? And,  after  all,  what  mischief 
can  the  devil  and  all  his  followers  effect  against 
me,  more  than  God  himself  permits  them?  If  he 
becomes  my  aid  and  defence,  what  have  1 to  fear? 
Moreover,  I shall  thus  be  obeying  Jesus  Christ, 
who  says,  He  who  loves  his  soul  more  than  me  in  this 
life  shall  lose  it;  and  he  who  loses  his  soul  for  my 
sake  shall  find  it.  This  corresponds  with  his  other 
words,  He  who  puts  his  hand  to  the  plough,  and  looks 
back,  is  not  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God.  As  the 
dangers  of  the  soul  are  much  greater  than  those 
of  the  body,  I,  being  fully  convinced  of  this,  have 
determined  on  hazarding  my  temporal  life,  in 
order  not  to  risk  that  which  is  eternal.  What 
more  remains  to  be  said  ? I am  resolved  on  going 
to  China;  nor  will  I do  otherwise.  May  God 
guide  and  conduct  me  thither,  and  may  he  assist 
me  to  propagate  his  holy  law;  and  then  let  hell 
do  its  worst ! I heed  it  not.  If  God  be  for  us,  who 
shall  be  against  us?’ 

In  this  strain  did  he  write  to  Perez,  and  in  this 
strain  did  he  answer  his  Portuguese  friends,  who, 
finding  their  remonstrance  useless,  sent  some 
Chinese  merchants  to  him,  in  hopes  their  threats 
would  terrify  him ; but  quite  the  contrary, — for 
• what  he  told  them  of  the  faith  seemed  so  just  and 
reasonable  to  some  of  the  wiser  of  the  party  that 
they  rather  encouraged  him  to  pursue  his  design 
without  fear.  They  advised  him  to  carry  his  books, 
explanatory  of  his  creed,  with  him,  because  the 
Emperor  of  China  had  not  long  before  sent  through 
the  neighboring  kingdoms  to  collect  information 
on  the  rites  and  mysteries  of  all  the  religions  pre- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  519 

vailing  in  China.  The  saint  was  highly  delighted 
at  this  intelligence, — hoping  that,  if  the  gospel- 
truth  could  only  make  itself  heard  amidst  this  mass 
of  falsehood,  it  would  undoubtedly  triumph  over 
them  all. 

Thus  encouraged,  he  began  to  look  out  for  an 
interpreter,  because  the  Chinese,  Anthony,  whom 
he  had  brought  with  him  from  Goa,  was  unac- 
quainted with  the  language  of  the  court,  which  is 
spoken  by  the  mandarins;  and,  indeed,  he  had 
nearly  forgotten  the  dialect  of  his  own  province. 
He  was  fortunate  enough,  however,  to  meet  with 
one  well  skilled  in  the  language  of  the  nobility,  as 
well  as  in  Chinese  writing.  He  willingly  under- 
took the  office, — either  from  curiosity  to  learn 
something  of  the  manners  and  religion  of  Europe, 
or  because  he  was  flattered  at  the  idea  of  making 
his  appearance  at  court  and  of  there  acting  as  in- 
terpreter for  so  learned  a monarch. 

Xavier  found  it  much  more  difficult  to  meet  with 
sailors  who  would  venture  to  convey  him  ashore, — 
because  the  penalty  of  death  equally  fell  on  those 
who  introduced  a foreigner  into  that  country  as 
upon  the  intruder  himself.  At  length,  however, 
he  met  with  one  in  whom  the  love  of  money  was 
stronger  than  the  fear  of  death, — a very  respect- 
able Chinese  merchant,  named  Capozeca,  who  for 
an  immense  bribe  undertook  to  smuggle  him  into 
Canton.  To  carry  out  the  plan,  he  and  his  sons 
proposed  rowing  him  ashore  with  muffled  oars  in 
the  dead  of  the  night.  They  were  to  land  at  a 
retired  spot  far  from  any  habitation,  and  then  he 
might  find  a shelter  as  best  he  could;  or,  as  this 
aeemed  too  venturesome,  he  would  take  him  to  his 


520 


THE  LIFE  OF 


own  house  and  conceal  him  there  for  three  or  four 
days,  and  then,  some  morning,  before  dawn,  he 
would  take  him  to  the  gates  of  Canton,  when  he 
was  boldly  to  inquire  for  the  mandarin  governor 
of  Canton  and  show  him  the  letters  furnished  by 
the  Viceroy  of  the  Indies  and  the  Archbishop  of 
Goa  and  addressed  to  the  Emperor  of  China.  The 
wary  merchant  took  care  to  bind  Xavier  down,  by 
solemn  promise,  never,  on  any  account,  or  under 
any  torments,  to  reveal  who  had  brought  him,  or 
on  what  vessel  he  had  passed  the  straits,  or  what 
house  had  afforded  him  shelter.  “I  was  well 
aware,”  writes  the  saint  to  one  of  his  friends, 
“that  this  compact  involved  two  great  dangers:  in 
the  first  place,  as  the  merchant  was  to  receive  his 
price  before  I set  foot  in  his  boat,  he  might  easily, 
if  he  pleased,  either  throw  me  to  the  bottom  of  the 
sea,  or  land  me  on  some  desert  island ; in  the  next 
place,  the  mandarin  governor  might  choose  to  vent 
all  his  anger  upon  me,  in  order  to  deter  others  from 
following  in  my  steps, — in  which  case  he  would 
subject  me  to  the  most  cruel  tortures,  and  then 
execute  me,  or,  if  somewhat  more  leniently  dis- 
posed, condemn  me  to  perpetual  imprisonment.” 
He  then  goes  on  to  say  that,  so  long  as  he  does  but 
obey  God,  he  cares  not  a single  iota  either  for 
liberty  or  life.  He  eagerly  stimulated  the  courage 
of  the  merchant;  he  placed  the  stipulated  sum  in 
the  hands  of  a third  person,  and  pledged  himself, 
by  oath,  that  no  torments,  nor  death  itself,  should 
induce  him  to  violate  the  everlasting  silence  which 
he  promised. 

When  Xavier’s  hopes  had  reached  thus  far,  they 
met  with  another  check,  which  wellnigh  destroyed 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVJER.  521 

them  : worldly  interests,  the  implacable  enemy  of 
the  things  of  God,  came  in  the  way.  The  European 
merchants  became  alarmed,  and  began  to  foresee 
that  which  would  never  happen  : they  murmured 
against  Father  Francis,  saying  that  he  was  dragging 
them,  as  well  as  himself,  into  a precipice;  the  man- 
darin of  the  province  would  send  a fleet  against 
them,  and  take  all  their  property,  and  perhaps 
their  lives,  and  God  knows  what  besides;  com- 
mercial relations  would  no  doubt  be  destroyed, 
and  the  Portuguese  would  not  even  be  allowed  this 
poor  island  whereon  to  traffic ; incalculable  would 
be  the  damage  to  the  crown,  as  well  as  to  indi- 
viduals, &c.  &c.  Full  of  these  dreary  forebodings, 
they  repaired  to  him  in  a body,  entreating  him,  if 
he  had  no  pity  on  himself,  at  least  to  have  pity  on 
them,  who  were  all  his  children,  and  not  to  involve 
them  in  his  danger;  that  they  had  not  his  virtue 
and  courage;  they  explained  to  him  the  injurious 
effects  to  them  which  would  follow  his  furtive  en- 
trance into  the  kingdom  of  China.  But  they  had 
no  occasion  to  say  much  in  order  to  awaken  his 
compassion  in  their  regard,  and  he  immediately 
promised  them  most  faithfully  not  to  stir  from  the 
island  till  they  and  all  their  ships  were  safe  and 
far  away.  The  Chinese,  too,  with  whom  he  had 
made  his  agreement,  also  went  away,  promising  to 
return  at  a certain  specified  time,  which  he  could 
easily  do,  as  his  business  would  call  him  but  a short 
distance  from  Sancian. 

Whilst  affairs  were  in  this  state,  Xavier  fell  ill 
I of  fever,  more  tedious  than  dangerous.  The  mis- 
taken kindness  of  his  friends  was  more  trying  than 
’ his  malady : they  undertook  to  play  the  philo®o- 
44* 


522 


THE  LIFE  OF 


phers,  and  assured  him  that  his  illness  was  a clear 
indication  that  his  Chinese  enterprise  was  not 
pleasing  to  God, — as  if  the  saint  had  been  so  men- 
tally blind  and  deaf  as  not  to  understand  the  com- 
mands of  God,  or  as  if  God  intended  merchants  to 
become  the  interpreters  of  his  will  in  regard  of  an 
apostle ! 

He  recovered  in  a fortnight,  and  returned — we 
will  not  say  to  his  desires,  for  they  had  never 
wavered,  but — to  the  preparatives  of  soul  neces- 
sary to  an  enterprise  so  glorious  to  the  name  of 
God,  and  so  advantageous  to  the  souls  of  those 
poor  pagans,  as  would  be  that  of  wresting  from  the 
grasp  of  the  infernal  monarch  that  vast  empire 
which  for  ages  had  been  wholly  in  his  power.  His 
chief  consolation  consisted  in  walking  on  the  beach 
directly  opposite  to  China  and  wafting  sighs  thither 
where  his  heart  already  was  : in  this  manner  did 
he  try  to  cheat  the  tedium  of  delay  and  to  gratify 
the  anxious  longings  of  hope.  Naturally  speaking, 
the  nearer  we  approach  the  term  of  our  desires, 
the  more  eager  we  become  to  secure  them.  Pro- 
vided he  were  once  able  to  set  foof  on  that  land, 
which  cost  him  so  much  even  at  a distance,  he  set 
at  defiance  all  anxiety  about  the  uncertain  future; 
for  of  the  two  contingencies  probably  awaiting 
him,  one  was  scarcely  less  dear  to  him  than  the 
other, — viz.,  either  of  giving  to  the  Chinese  life  in 
Christ,  by  converting  them  to  the  faith,  or  of  giving 
his  own  life  to  Christ,  by  martyrdom,  by  preaching 
the  faith  to  them.  His  approaching  death  wrould 
have  changed  this  pleasing  prospect  into  gloom, 
were  it  not  that  the  saints  ever  find  their  chief 
delight  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  will  of  God, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  623 

their  sole  interest  consisting  in  this:  attentive  only 
to  his  good  pleasure,  they  forget  themselves  and 
their  own  wishes. 

In  the  mean  time,  his  whole  soul  became  en- 
grossed in  the  task  he  was  now,  as  he  believed,  so 
near  undertaking;  and  whilst  the  days  of  Xavier 
passed  in  earnest  desires  of  amplifying  the  kingdom 
of  God,  the  Portuguese  ships  had  been  gradually 
weighing  anchor  and  departing  on  their  return- 
voyage,  till  none  remained  but  the  one  which  had 
brought  him  from  Malacca  to  Sancian.  He  sent 
letters  to  his  friends  at  Malacca  and  Goa:  he  wrote 
in  most  affectionate  terms  to  his  dear  friend  James 
Pereira,  again  thanking  him  for  all  he  had  done 
and  suffered  for  his  sake.  “May  God  repay  you,” 
says  he,  “for  I am  unable  to  do  so;  but  he  will 
know  how  to  do  it  in  my  stead.  As  long  as  I live, 
I shall  never  cease  imploring  him  to  bestow  on  you 
health  of  body  and  spiritual  graces,  and  that  he 
will  admit  you  among  his  blessed  when  you  die; 
but,  as  I well  know  that  the  little  I am  able  to  do 
is  as  nothing  in  comparison  with  what  I owe  you, 
I earnestly  recommend  all  the  fathers  of  the 
Society  in  the  Indies  to  concur  with  me  in  praying 
for  you.  If  I should  be  so  fortunate  as  to  succeed 
in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  Chinese,  next  to 
God  it  will  be  owing  to  you : you  will  have  the 
honor  of  it,  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  in  the 
sight  of  God  and  men.” 

He  likewise  wrote  to  Father  Francis  Perez,  de- 
siring him  and  all  the  fathers  at  Malacca  to  quit 
that  place;  and  he  advised  Hon  Peter  Silva  to  do 
so  too,  and  repair  without  delay  to  Cochin.  He 
appointed  Father  Perez  to  the  office  of  rector 


524 


THE  LIFE  OF 


there,  in  place  of  Father  Eredia,  ordered  to  the 
mission  of  Ormuz.  As  pestilence,  famine,  and 
other  misfortunes  threatened  the  wicked  city  of 
Malacca,  there  was  no  reason  why  the  just  should 
be  left  to  perish  with  the  guilty.  He  moreover 
sent  back  Brother  Francis  Pereira,  whom  he  dis- 
missed from  the  Society, — so  that  he  was  now 
left  with  only  Anthony,  the  young  Chinese,  and 
another  youth,  both  seculars.  Great  part  of  his 
letter  to  Perez  was  filled  with  lamentations  over 
the  deplorable  state  of  Hon  Alvaro  Ataide : it  was 
like  Samuel  weeping  over  Saul. 

In  his  letter  to  Father  Barzeus  he  bade  him  ap- 
ply to  the  archbishop  to  see  that  the  Vicar  of  Ma- 
lacca published  the  sentence  of  excommunication 
against  him;  it  was  necessary  that  a man  who, 
like  Hon  Alvaro,  cared  neither  for  God  nor  for  his 
own  soul,  should  be  denounced  before  the  whole 
world,  as  an  awful  warning  to  others,  and  to  teach 
his  successors  not  to  attempt  to  oppose  the  pro- 
mulgation of  the  faith  in  the  Moluccas,  Japan,  or 
China.  He  moreover  ordered  Barzeus  to  be  very 
cautious  in  admitting  members  into  the  Society, — 
to  try  them  well,  and  to  dismiss  those  who  did  not 
submit  well  to  the  trial. 

These  letters  were  the  last  relics  of  the  spirit 
of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  and  were  by  him  consigned 
to  the  hands  of  the  merchants,  to  be  by  them  con- 
veyed to  the  Indies.  He  was  unable  to  intrust 
these  letters  to  the  friend  who  had  been  his  host 
ever  since  his  arrival  at  Sancian,  because,  for  some 
reason  or  other,  his  departure  had  been  so  sudden 
as  to  be  more  like  a flight  than  any  thing  else. 
This  unfortunate  man  resolved  on  returning  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  525 

Malacca  so  secretly  as  to  let  Xavier  know  nothing 
about  it.  For  this  purpose,  he  made  his  prepara- 
tions in  the  night,  and  set  sail  while  the  saint  was  at 
the  altar  saying  mass.  Having  finished,  he  looked 
carefully  round  among  those  who  had  assisted  at 
it,  as  if  in  search  of  some  one.  “And  where,” 
said  he,  “is  so  and  so?”  naming  the  merchant  in 
question:  he  was  answered  that  he  had  sailed,  and 
was  already  far  on  the  way  to  Malacca.  Then  he, 
speaking  as  if  in  a rapture,  exclaimed,  “Oh, 
whither  are  his  sins  leading  that  unfortunate  man? 
Who  is  he  fleeing  from  ? Who  has  driven  him 
hence  ? Why  did  he  not  await  his  ship  from 
China?  there  it  is!”  said  he,  pointing  in  a certain 
direction;  but  he  only  could  see  it:  the  others, 
who  looked  in  the  quarter  indicated,  saw  nothing. 
Then,  reverting  to  the  merchant,  he  thus  con- 
tinued : — “ He  well  knows  what  he  is  going  in 
search  of  to  Malacca;  but  little  does  he  know 
what  awaits  him  on  his  arrival  there  ! Oh,  what 
a death  !”  Here  he  paused,  and  said  no  more. 
The  merchant  who  had  thus  fled  arrived  in  due 
time  at  Malacca,  almost  immediately  went  to  a 
forest  to  look  at  some  timber  which  he  required 
for  the  repairs  of  his  ship,  when  he  fell  into  the 
hands  of  robbers,  who  murdered  him  in  a fright- 
ful manner. 

When  the  ships  had  left  Sancian,  and  Xavier 
remained  with  the  few  belonging  to  the  ship  which 
had  taken  him  there,  it  would  scarcely  be  believed 
how  utterly  he  was  neglected.  Three  eye-witnesses 
assure  us  that  he  was  actually  left  without  the 
bare  necessaries  of  life : young  Anthony  was 


526 


THE  LIFE  OF 


obliged  to  beg  a bit  of  bread  for  him.  or  he  might 
have  perished  of  hunger. 

Some  persons  accuse  the  crew  of  cruelty,  for 
they  were  men  chiefly  in  the  pay  of  the  captain 
of  Malacca,  who,  though  at  a distance,  still  waged 
war  upon  the  servant  of  God ; but  it  seems  to  me 
that  we  may  safely  carry  our  eyes  up  aloft,  and 
there  find  a more  worthy  source  of  this  dereliction  : 
may  we  not  ascribe  it  to  that  impenetrable  wisdom 
which  often  shows  most  harshness  toward  those 
whom  it  best  loves, — at  the  same  time  furnishing 
them  with  opportunities  for  increasing  merit  and 
glory,  and  enabling  them  to  leave  examj^les  of 
heroic  endurance  to  the  whole  world  ? Noble 
souls  only  are  permitted  to  close  life  in  circum- 
stances resembling  their  divine  Master,  viz.,  in 
total  privation  of  all  human  comfort,  forgotten  by 
his  own  people,  uncared  for  by  strangers;  and, 
what  is  still  more,  apparently  abandoned  both  by 
heaven  and  earth.  And  such  in  truth  was  the 
death-bed  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  a man  so  revered 
even  by  the  Mohammedans  and  idolaters  that, 
had  he  died  among  them,  they  would  have  crowded 
round  him  with  most  respectful  affection. 

But  God  would  have  him  here  in  this  solitary 
state.  His  express  command  had  brought  him 
thither  from  a distance  and  through  such  strange 
vicissitudes : nevertheless,  to  one  who  could  have 
beheld  him  at  that  last  hour,  it  must  have  seemed 
as  if  Almighty  God  had  entirely  given  him  up  to 
sufferings,  with  patience  for  his  only  comfort. 

The  interpreter,  who  had  willingly  agreed  to 
accompany  him  to  the  emperor’s  court,  broke  his 
promise,  either  through  timidity  or  the  bribery  of 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  527 

the  Portuguese.  Notwithstanding  this  disappoint- 
ment, the  saint  was  determined  to  go  on,  relying  onlj 
on  the  imperfect  skill  of  Anthony.  The  merchant 
and  his  sons,  who  were  to  row  him  across,  proved 
equally  faithless  : he  never  saw  them  again.  Still 
unsubdued  in  purpose,  he  formed  the  plan  of 
effecting  an  entrance  into  China  through  the  king- 
dom of  Siam.  But  God  designed  him  a better 
embassy, — that  of  heaven,  whither  he  now  invited 
him. 

When  Xavier  left  Goa,  he  had  received  a certain 
intimation  that  he  should  never  return  there  again, 
and  he  signified  as  much  to  several  of  his  friends, 
especially  to  Cosmo  Annes,  who  asked  him  how 
soon  they  might  expect  to  see  him  again.  He 
answered,  “ In  this  life  never:  it  must  therefore 
be  in  heaven,  or,  at  the  latest,  in  the  valley  of 
Josaphat.”  He  spoke  more  plainly  later  at  San- 
cian ; for,  being  in  company  with  six  Portuguese, 
he  said  to  them,  “ Brethren,  let  us  prepare  for 
death ; for  within  the  space  of  a year  the  great 
number  of  us  shall  be  dead.”  Before  the  twelve 
months  had  expired,  six  out  of  the  seven  were 
dead,  and  Xavier  himself  was  of  the  number. 

No  further  knowledge,  then,  was  wanting  to 
him  than  that  of  the  day  and  hour  of  his  death ; 
and  this  God  was  pleased  to  reveal  to  him,  and  he 
made  it  known  to  the  pilot  of  the  ship,  who 
affirmed  the  circumstance  on  oath.  On  receiving 
the  announcement,  Xavier’s  heart,  so  long  fixed  on 
China,  now  directed  itself  exclusively  to  heaven ; 
and,  as  he  strolled  along  the  sea-shore,  he  would 
raise  his  longing  eyes  and  soul  to  heaven,  with 


528 


THE  LIFE  OF 


such  vehement  desires  of  eternal  life  that  the 
present  life  became  quite  burdensome  to  him. 

On  Sunday,  the  20tli  of  November,  he  celebrated 
mass,  and  almost  immediately  afterward  was  as- 
sailed wTith  fever:  he  was  carried  to  the  common 
hospital  on  board  a ship;  but  as  at  that  season  of 
the  year  the  winds  and  currents  peculiar  to  those 
channels  kept  the  vessel  in  perpetual  agitation, 
which  disturbed  the  saint  and  prevented  the  quiet 
application  of  his  mind  to  God,  he  requested 
captain  Lewis  Almeida  to  have  him  landed  again 
the  next  day.  A kind-hearted  Portuguese,  named 
George  Alvarez,  seeing  him  thus  left  on  the  beach 
under  a sharp  north  wind,  transferred  him  to  his 
own  poor  hut,  composed  of  boughs  and  straw, — 
good  only  inasmuch  as  it  preserved  him  from 
worse.  On  the  following  day  he  became  worse; 
a pain  in  the  side  caused  alarm,  and  Alvarez  en- 
treated him  to  be  bled.  No  expert  surgeon  was 
to  be  met  with  there : nevertheless,  Xavier  would 
practise  obedience  to  him  who  afforded  him  a 
lodging,  and  willingly  submitted  to  the  proposal. 
The  operation  was  so  unskilfully  performed  that 
contraction  of  the  nerves  was  the  immediate  re- 
sult: inability  to  take  nourishment  soon  came  on. 
A second  bleeding,  by  the  same  awkward  hand, 
was  advised ; and  to  this  too  he  submitted,  with 
the  meekness  of  a lamb,  but  with  no  better  success 
than  before.  He  remained  thus  till  the  28th  of 
November,  his  eyes  constantly  fixed  on  heaven, 
or  on  a crucifix  which  he  held  in  his  hand:  he 
grew  delirious,  but  with  the  delirium  of  the  saints, 
for  he  spoke  only  of  heaven  or  of  the  conversion 
of  China;  but  he  then  lost  his  speech  for  the  next 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


529 


three  days,  and  was  so  excessively  weak  that  his 
last  breath  was  momentarily  expected : he  re- 
gained both  sense  and  speech,  however,  and  re- 
sumed his  pious  colloquies  and  affections  as  before, 
which  he  could  continue  without  interruption, 
being  left  almost  alone.  Anthony,  who  assisted 
him,  did  not  understand  all  he  said,  his  pious 
ejaculations  being  chiefly  in  Latin;  but  the  youth 
tells  us  that  he  repeatedly  uttered,  “ Jesus,  son  of 
David,  have  mercy  on  me !”  and  to  our  blessed 
Lady,  “ Show  thyself  a mother !”  but  his  most 
familiar  expression  was,  “ O most  holy  Trinity!” 
He  passed  the  last  two  days  without  tasting  any 
thing;  and,  after  desiring  that  his  church-vest- 
ments and  books  of  instruction  might  be  carried 
back  to  the  ship,  (these  being  his  sole  riches,)  he 
disposed  himself  for  his  last  hour,  which  was  now 
approaching. 

Anthony  and  another  youth,  who  had  accom- 
panied him  from  Goa,  were  at  his  side,  both  in- 
tending to  enter  China  with  him : he  fixed  his 
eyes  on  the  latter,  and  seemed  distressed : then, 
with  deep  compassion  and  tears,  he  twice  repeated, 
“ Oh,  unfortunate  man !”  The  gift  of  prophecy 
remained  with  the  saint  till  his  last  breath,  as  we 
find  from  the  untimely  end  of  this  youth,  who,  in 
less  than  half  a year  after  Xavier’s  death,  fell  into 
the  most  revolting  debaucheries,  and  was  suddenly 
killed  by  the  discharge  of  a gun. 

It  was  on  Friday,  (not  Saturday,  as  some 
have  miscalculated,)  the  2d  of  December,  1552, 
when  Xavier,  at  about  two  hours  after  mid-day, 
heard  the  voice  of  God  calling  him,  as  the  good 
and  faithful  servant,  to  enter  into  the  joy  of 
2 1 45 


530 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  Lord.  Th-ose  who  were  present  observed  him 
cast  his  eyes  tenderly  on  his  crucifix:  then,  with 
an  exulting  tone,  he  cried  out,  “In  te,  Domine , 
speravi,  non  confundar  in  externum,”  and  placidly 
expired.  Bartoli  gives  his  age  as  fifty -five;  but, 
according  to  the  more  recently-discovered  memo- 
randum of  his  birth,  he  died  at  the  age  of  forty- 
six, — of  which  he  had  spent  twelve  years  in  the 
Society  of  Jesus,  reckoning  from  the  date  of  its 
establishment  as  a religious  order,  and  ten  years 
and  seven  months  in  the  Indies,  in  a most  laborious 
apostolate,  carrying  the  name  of  God  to  so  many 
kingdoms,  and  generating  so  numerous  a progeny 
to  Jesus  Christ,  that  the  sovereign  Pontiff,  in  the 
bull  of  his  canonization,  affirms  them  to  be  “ super 
Stellas  cceli,  et  super  arenam  qude  est  in  littore  maris” 

He  was  rather  above  the  middle  height,  full  and 
robust  of  body,  of  sanguine  temperament,  of  pleas- 
ing and  majestic  aspect,  fair  and  florid  : he  had  an 
expansive  forehead,  a good  nose,  eyes  inclining  to 
azure;  hair  and  beard  thick,  of  deep  chestnut 
color, — though  before  he  quitted  Japan  his  excess- 
ive toils  and  trials  had  made  him  gray. 

As  soon  as  the  people  belonging  to  the  ship 
heard  of  his  death,  several  of  them  repaired  to  the 
hut;  and  as  they  gazed  on  his  calm  and  beautiful 
countenance,  more  like  that  of  an  angel  than  of  a 
corpse,  an  irresistible  impulse  threw  them  on  their 
knees,  and  they  kissed  his  hands  and  feet  with 
great  respect.  He  remained  unburied  from  Friday 
to  mid-day  of  the  following  Sunday,  when  his  last 
host,  George  Alvarez,  dressed  him  in  his  sacerdotal 
vestments,  and  then  deposited  the  body  in  a large 
case,  filling  it  with  quicklime,  in  order  that,  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


531 


flesh  being  entirely  consumed,  the  bones  might 
be  conveyed  to  Malacca.  In  this  manner  he  was 
buried  in  a little  field  near  the  cross  which  he  had 
erected  at  the  foot  of  a hill.  It  must  be  recorded 
that  the  function  took  place,  without  any  of  the 
usual  ceremonies  of  the  Church,  in  the  presence  of 
1 only  four  individuals,  affectionately  devoted  to  the 
saint,  namely,  Anthony  the  young  Chinese,  George 
Alvarez,  the  pilot  Aghiar,  and  another,  whose 
name  has  not  reached  us.  They  divided  his  pooi 
faded  old  habit  among  them,  to  be  kept  as  relics ; 

| and  Aghiar  insisted  on  having  one  of  his  shoes, 

! which  he  so  prized  and  boasted  of  that  it  acquired 
for  him  the  sobriquet  of  the  pilot  of  the  hoot.  The 
absence  of  the  rest  of  the  Portuguese  was  attri 
buted  to  the  sharp  wind  and  excessive  rigor  of  the 
weather;  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  cool  affection 
had  not  more  effect  than  the  chilled  atmosphere. 
In  proof  of  this,  we  need  only  cite  a passage  from 
the  letter  written  to  Don  Alvaro  Ata'ide  by  one  of 
his  flatterers  then  at  Sancian  : — “ Master  Francis 
is  dead;  and  he  died  without  working  any  miracle. 
He  was  buried  on  the  sea-shore  here,  just  like  any 
other  common  individual : perhaps,  when  it  is  time 
for  us  to  sail,  if  any  part  of  him  remains  in  being, 
we  may  bring  it  away  with  us,  that  the  grumblers 
of  Malacca  may  not  be  able  to  say  that  we  are  not 
as  good  Christians  as  themselves.” 

But  Almighty  God,  who  had  hitherto  conde- 
scended to  the  humility  of  his  servant,  would  now 
make  manifest  to  the  world  the  high  degree  of 
glory  to  which  he  had  raised  him  in  heaven. 

I The  first  and  most  striking  miracle  to  be  re* 


532 


THE  LIFE  OF 


served  as  an  heirloom  in  the  family  of  Xavier 
Daring  the  last  year  of  the  saint’s  life,  this  crucifix 
was  perceived  to  sweat  blood  every  Friday, — 
which  phenomenon  ceased  at  the  time  of  his  death 
By  an  after-comparing  of  dates  of  the  memoranda 
preserved  by  his  family  with  the  details  received 
from  India,  it  was  ascertained  that  precisely  when 
Xavier  was  suffering  in  any  unusual  manner  in  the 
East,  this  crucifix  distilled  blood  in  the  West, — as 
if  the  Crucified  would  reciprocate  the  feelings  of 
this  ardent  lover  of  the  crucifix. 

The  season  for  sailing  from  Sancian  to  Malacca 
being  come,  Anthony  reminded  the  captain  of  the 
ship  that  the  remains  of  the  holy  father  ought  not 
to  be  left  behind : he  therefore  gave  orders  for  the 
exhumation  of  the  body,  which  took  place  on  the 
17th  of  February,  1553,  two  months  and  a half 
after  death.  On  opening  the  case  and  removing 
the  lime,  the  virginal  body  was  found  totally  in- 
corrupt, flexible,  and  still  retaining  the  same  fair, 
fresh  complexion,  as  if  he  were  only  in  a placid 
slumber;  the  vestments,  too,  like  the  precious 
corpse,  were  unaffected  by  the  lime.  A sweet 
fragrance  issued  from  the  case,  which  plainly  told 
of  paradise.  Determined  to  secure  some  particle 
of  the  body  as  a relic,  they  uncovered  the  thigh 
and  cut  out  a piece  of  the  flesh, — when,  to  their  asto- 
nishment, bright  blood  flowed,  as  if  he  were  still 
alive.  The  spectators  hastily  returned  to  the  ship 
to  relate  wdiat  they  had  seen,  in  proof  of  which 
they  displayed  the  sanguineous  piece  of  flesh, — 
whereupon  they  all  returned  to  the  sepulchre  to 
kiss  a body  which  had  once  been  animated  by  so 
glorious  a soul.  With  bitter  tears  did  they  pro- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


533 


claim  the  too  long  neglected  merits  of  the  holy 
man,  whom  they  aloud  besought  to  pardon  them 
the  extravagant  cruelty  with  which  they  had 
treated  him  just  to  please  their  master  Don  Alvaro 
Ataide;  and,  after  a thousand  demonstrations  of 
1 xespect,  they  replaced  the  precious  deposit  in  the 
case,  and,  again  covering  it  with  lime,  they  carried 
it  to  the  ship,  in  order  to  enrich  the  city  of  Malacca 
with  it. 

At  the  departure  of  his  body  from  Sancian,  the 
saint  seems  to  have  freed  those  seas  from  the  ter- 
rible whirlwinds  to  which  they  had  hitherto  been 

!so  liable,  for  nothing  of  the  sort  was  known  there 
for  many  succeeding  years : it  seems,  too,  that  he, 
from  heaven,  would  also  open  the  long-closed  gates 
of  China,  for  soon  afterward  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel  gained  admission  there,  together  with  the 
embassy  sent  by  the  crown  of  Portugal. 

On  the  22d  of  March,  tl^p  ship  came  in  sight  of 
Malacca.  A boat  was  despatched  to  give  notice  of 
the  treasure  which  was  approaching;  and.  although 
there  were  then  no  fathers  of  the  Society  there,  the 
inhabitants  would  of  their  own  accord  honor  the 
saint.  All  the  nobility,  the  vicar  and  his  clergy, 
all  carrying  lighted  tapers,  went  down  to  the  beach 
to  receive  the  body,  which  was  carried  in  triumph 
through  the  principal  streets  to  the  Church  of  Our 
Lady  del  Monte,  followed  by  an  immense  concourse 
of  Christians  and  pagans.  On  arriving  at  the 
church,  the  chest  was  again  opened,  and  the  beau- 
tiful, lifelike  body  exposed  to  view  and  to  the  vene- 
ration of  the  public,  who  simultaneously  noticed 
the  fragrance  which  had  excited  so  agreeable  a 
surprise  at  Sancian.  Every  one  had  something 
45» 


534 


THE  LIFE  OF 


remarkable  to  relate  in  honor  of  the  saint;  whilst 
every  one  seemed  again  to  behold  him,  as  when  be- 
fore he  lived  among  them  working  miracles. 

Widely  different  from  the  behavior  of  the  majority 
was  that  of  Don  Alvaro  Ataide,  whose  inflexible  ob- 
duracy of  heart  nothing  could  subdue.  As  the  pro- 
cession conveying  the  precious  body  was  actually 
passing  his  house,  he  was  seated  at  the  gaming- 
table : hearing  the  noise  occasioned  by  the  crowd, 
he  advanced  to  the  window,  and,  with  mocking 
scorn,  both  of  word  and  gesture,  he  ridiculed  this 
display  of  reverential  affection,  and  then  angrily 
withdrew  to  resume  his  game.  God,  however,  had 
patience  with  him  for  a time, — whilst  the  saint 
was  more  gratified  by  the  piety  of  the  faithful 
than  displeased  with  the  malice  of  the  obstinate 
man.  For  several  weeks  Malacca  had  been  ravaged 
by  a fearful  pestilence,  which  the  saint  had  clearly 
foretold  before  his  death  in  a letter  to  Father 
Perez : nevertheless,  no  sooner  was  the  body 
landed,  triumphant  as  it  were  in  death,  than  this 
scourge  immediately  ceased:  not  one  of  those  who 
were  then  sick  died  of  it,  nor  did  any  new  case 
occur;  whilst  those  who  were  already  infected  re- 
covered without  the  aid  of  medicine.  In  addition 
to  pestilence,  the  town  was  also  suffering  from 
famine,  which,  like  the  former,  also  disappeared; 
for  with  the  ship  conveying  the  body,  several 
foreign  vessels  ladend  with  provisions  likewise  en- 
tered the  port. 

In  consequence  of  such  manifest  miracles,  Ma- 
lacca ought  surely  to  have  provided  a suitable 
tomb  for  St.  Francis.  Nevertheless,  either  from 
dread  of  Don  Alvaro,  or  because  God  so  permitted 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  535 

for  the  farther  and  later  glory  of  his  servant,  his 
interment  took  place  without  any  distinctive  honor 
The  sacred  corpse  was  taken  out  of  the  ease,  and 
buried  in  the  naked  earth,  outside  the  church  : the 
grave  was  dug  so  strait  and  small  that  on  forcing 
the  body  into  it  the  flesh  on  one  of  the  shoulders 
was  lacerated,  and  fresh  blood  again  flowed  freely. 
Notwithstanding  this  sight,  the  earth  was  actually 
pressed  down  and  stamped  upon  with  the  feet,  to 
the  injury  of  the  body;  so  that  it  would  seem  as 
if  Malacca  was  destined  to  outrage  him  both  in 
life  and  death.  He  remained  thus  from  March  till 
the  following  August,  when  Providence  brought 
Father  Beira  to  Malacca,  on  his  way  from  Goa  to 
the  Moluccas.  Beira  had  been  most  devotedly 
attached  to  Xavier,  and  felt  anxious  once  more  to 
behold  his  loved  remains  : accordingly,  one  night, 
he,  James  Pereira,  and  a few  others  secretly  dis- 
interred the  body,  which,  to  their  admiration,  they 
still  found  in  the  same  state  of  perfect  preserva- 
tion, no  more  injured  by  the  damp  earth  at  Ma- 
lacca than  by  the  quicklime  at  Sancian : even  a 
small  napkin,  which  was  placed  over  the  face 
when  last  buried,  was  found  stained  with  fresh 
blood.  The  piety  of  the  present  spectators  could 
not  bear  the  idea  of  reconsigning  such  a treasure 
to  the  bare  ground : Pereira  therefore  ordered 
a handsome  coffin,  to  be  lined  wTith  magnificent 
Chinese  damask  satin,  in  which  the  sacred  body, 
enveloped  in  a brocade  coverlet,  was  deposited, — 
the  whole  being  placed  in  respectable  security 
until  means  could  be  found  to  convey  it  to  Goa, 
Malacca  being  evidently  unworthy  of  such  a trea- 
sure. A pleasing  miracle  rewarded  the  honor 


536 


THE  LIFE  OF 


shown  to  the  servant  of  God  : a wax  candle,  which 
under  ordinary  circumstances  would  have  burned 
only  for  ten  hours,  continued  burning  for  eighteen 
successive  days  and  nights;  and  at  last  the  wax 
which  had  swealed  from  it  was  found  to  weigh 
more  than  the  candle  itself  in  its  original  state. 

No  opportunity  of  conveying  it  to  Goa  occurred 
previous  to  Father  Beira’s  departure  for  the  Mo- 
luccas : he  therefore  left  his  companion  at  Malacca 
in  charge  of  the  sacred  body.  Lope  Norogna  had 
the  good  fortune  of  transferring  it  in  his  ship,  a 
battered,  old  vessel,  in  which  scarcely  any  one 
would  risk  his  safety;  but  no  sooner  was  it  known 
that  the  precious  relics  were  to  travel  in  it,  than 
crowds  sought  to  procure  a passage  in  her.  Nor 
was  the  confiding  piety  of  the  people  deceived  on 
this  occasion:  they  encountered  a terrific  tempest, 
which  drove  the  ship  deep  into  a sand-bank,  from 
which  they  had  no  chance  of  escape  except  by 
miracle;  and  God  wrought  it  in  their  favor.  A 
strong  breeze  suddenly  urged  them  through  the 
shoal;  and,  as  if  to  prove  that  the  hand  of  God 
had  done  it,  the  moment  the  ship  was  out  of  danger 
the  wind  entirely  subsided.  In  entering  the  Ceylon 
channel,  they  again  struck  upon  a hidden  rock, 
with  such  violence  that  the  rudder  was  broken  at 
the  hinges,  the  keel  remaining  fast  in  the  fissure 
of  the  rock.  To  lighten  the  vessel,  the  crew  cut 
away  the  rigging,  and  were  for  throwing  the  cargo 
overboard;  for,  as  the  poor  frail  bark  was  tossed 
from  side  to  side,  it  was  feared  that  each  success- 
ive concussion  would  completely  annihilate  her. 
In  this  desperate  position,  they  had  recourse  to 
the  protection  of  the  saint.  The  coffin  was  brought 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  537 

upon  deck,  where  all  the  crew  and  passengers, 
holding  lighted  tapers  in  their  hands,  knelt  down, 
and  with  tears  in  their  eyes  entreated  him  to  pre. 
serve  them.  Immediately  the  prayer  was  ended, 
a loud  report  and  crash  were  heard  from  beneath 
the  water,  and  with  a bound  the  ship  was  free: 
the  rock  had  evidently  yielded,  or  rather  had 
burst  asunder,  and  thus  released  the  imprisoned 
vessel.  Triumphant  over  all  these  misfortunes, 
she  reached  Cochin,  the  whole  city  going  forth  to 
revere  the  remains  of  its  loved  father  and  master. 
From  thence  they  proceeded  to  Baticala,  where, 
as  the  wind  was  against  them,  the  captain  lowered 
his  sloop,  and  was  rowed  on  to  Goa,  to  be  the  first 
to  convey  the  glad  tidings  to  the  authorities  there. 
In  the  mean  time,  at  Baticala,  the  wife  of  Anthony 
Rodriguez,  the  royal  procurator  there,  was  lying 
dangerously  ill.  On  hearing  of  the  arrival  of  the 
holy  body,  she  felt  a confident  hope  that  if  she  could 
but  see  it  she  should  be  cured  : her  entreaties  were 
30  urgent  that  they  carried  her  on  board ; and  no 
sooner  did  she  come  in  sight  of  the  body  than  she 
found  herself  perfectly  recovered.  She  begged  a 
particle  from  the  hem  of  his  coverlet,  which  was 
given  her:  she  enclosed  it  in  a reliquary,  and  a 
volume  might  be  filled  with  the  details  of  the  innu- 
merable miraculous  cures  effected  by  it. 

On  the  death  of  Father  Barzeus,  Father  Melchior 
Nunez  had  succeeded  as  Yice-Provincial  of  the 
Indies.  The  viceroy  immediately  armed  a light 
frigate,  in  which  Nunez,  some  other  fathers  of  the 
seminary,  and  four  young  pupils,  proceeded  to 
Baticala  to  receive  the  holy  body.  As  it  was 
lowered  from  the  ship  of  Lope  Norogna,  all  the 


538 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fihip9  then  in  port  saluted  it  with  salvoes  of  artil- 
lery. On  the  15th  of  March,  1554,  they  reached 
JRebenda,  about  half  a league  distant  from  Goa, 
where  they  halted  for  the  night,  whilst  the  city 
was  making  preparations  for  its  solemn  reception. 
On  the  following  morning,  which  happened  to  be 
Friday  in  Passion-week,  all  the  flower  of  the  Portu- 
guese nobility  at  Goa  set  out,  in  six  barges  mag- 
nificently adorned  and  illuminated.  These  were  fol- 
lowed by  twelve  others,  filled  with  three  hundred 
of  the  most  respectable  inhabitants,  each  one  carry- 
ing a lighted  torch.  Bands  of  vocal  and  instru- 
mental music  were  dispersed  throughout  the  dif- 
ferent boats,  with  admirable  effect.  The  frigate 
containing  the  saint’s  body  was  in  the  midst  of 
them : they  advanced  with  measured  strokes, 
slowly,  and  in  fine  order.  The  remains  were  on 
deck,  under  a splendid  canopy  of  gold  brocade 
provided  by  Pereira, — lights  burning  all  around, 
flags  and  banners  floating  on  both  sides.  Every 
inhabitant,  even  the  sick,  was  on  the  beach:  those 
who  were  unable  to  walk  were  carried  thither,  and 
richly  were  they  rewarded  for  their  piety.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  describe  the  varied  emo- 
tions of  the  people  as  the  beauteous  little  fleet 
came  in  sight;  tears  of  devotion  fell  in  abundance, 
crowds  upon  their  knees,  with  outstretched  arms, 
as  if  to  receive  and  embrace  him;  his  praises  re- 
sounded on  every  side,  and  Goa  was  proclaimed 
happy  in  the  possession  of  such  a treasure.  There 
were  some  who,  too  impatient  to  await  its  arrival 
ashore,  jumped  into  the  water  to  meet  the  frigate, 
which  they  kissed,  and  then  swam  back  alongsido 
of  it  to  the  beach.  Here  the  viceroy  with  his 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  539 

mace-bearers  and  guards,  the  royal  councillors,  and 
the  magistracy,  all  in  gala-dresses,  were  in  waiting 
to  receive  the  sacred  deposit;  whilst  a band  of 
youths  advanced,  the  foremost  carrying  a large 
crucifix,  the  choristers  at  the  same  time  entoning 
the  Psalm,  “Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel ;” 
and  then  the  procession  formed,  in  the  following 
order.  Ninety  children  dressed  in  white,  crowned 
with  flowers,  and  carrying  olive-branches  in  their 
hands,  opened  the  march.  Next  to  them  walked 
the  brotherhood  of  mercy,  followed  by  the  clergy, 
— the  body  of  the  saint  carried  by  fathers  of  the 
Society.  Next  came  the  viceroy  with  his  magnifi- 
cent escort,  then  the  magistrates,  and,  lastly,  the 
people.  The  streets  on  both  sides  were  adorned 
with  tapestry,  flowers,  and  other  ornaments;  and 
every  place  was  so  crowded  that  the  guards  could 
with  difficulty  keep  a clear  passage  for  the  proces- 
sion. From  the  windows  and  roofs  of  the  houses 
descended  what  might  almost  be  called  a perpetual 
shower  of  crowns  of  roses.  But  far  more  worthy 
of  record  are  the  miracles  wherewith  God  was 
pleased  to  glorify  this  triumphal  entry  of  his 
servant  into  Goa.  In  the  first  place  must  be 
noticed  the  exquisite  fragrance  exhaled  from  the 
holy  body,  perceptible  even  at  a considerable  dis- 
tance, with  a twofold  effect,  as  we  read  in  the  Pro- 
cesses, for  it  gratified  the  senses  and  it  inspired  de- 
votion. In  the  next  place,  we  must  allude  to  the 
cure  of  the  sick,  who  would  be  carried  out  to  see 
him  pass,  or,  to  use  their  own  expression,  that  he 
might  see  them  and  cure  them.  Among  those  who 
were  too  ill  to  be  moved  from  their  beds  was  Jane 
Pereira,  who  had  been  dangerously  ill  for  three 


540 


THE  LIFE  OF 


months : no  sooner  did  she  recommend  herself  to 
the  saint  than  she  was  perfectly  cured. 

A young  girl  almost  at  the  last  gasp,  and  actually 
holding  the  blest  candle  in  her  hand,  was  recom- 
mended by  her  mother  to  Father  Francis,  pro- 
mising to  have  a mass  said  in  his  honor.  At  that 
very  moment,  the  daughter  threw  aside  the  candle, 
and  rose  from  her  bed  in  perfect  health. 

In  the  church  of  St.  Paul,  then  belonging  to 
the  Society,  whither  the  body  of  the  saint  was 
conveyed,  the  blind,  the  lame,  the  paralytic,  the 
leprous,  and,  in  fine,  every  other  species  of  invalids, 
suddenly  recovered.  It  is  generally  believed  that 
never  had  any  saint  been  panegyrized  as  Francis 
Xavier  was  by  the  immense  crowds  there  assem- 
bled. Every  one  had  something  marvellous  to  re- 
late,— among  others,  John  Deiro,  whom  the  reader 
will  remember  to  have  been  his  companion  in  Melia- 
por,  Malacca,  and  the  Moluccas.  He  was  now  a 
religious,  and  related,  with  many  tears  and  in 
public,  the  secrets  of  his  conscience,  and  the  pre- 
dictions of  the  saint  in  his  regard,  every  one  of 
which  had  been  literally  verified. 

His  body  was  placed  in  the  great  chapel,  pro- 
tected by  a palisading  to  keep  off  the  crowd.  The 
precaution  was  ineffectual : no  barrier  could  have 
resisted  the  popular  devotion, — to  gratify  which, 
the  saint  was  held  up  in  a standing  position,  to  the 
infinite  delight  of  every  one.  He  was  left  thus 
exposed  for  three  days.  The  canons  of  the  cathe- 
dral solemnly  sung  the  mass  of  the  holy  cross  on 
Friday;  and  the  religious  of  St.  Francis,  so  much 
loved  by  the  saint,  sung  the  mass  of  our  Blessed 
Lady  on  the  Saturday.  Having  so  far  gratified 


S A I"N  T FRANCIS  XAVIER.  5V1 

\molio  .levotion,  on  the  night  following  (Sunday) 
Jie  body  was  deposited  in  a distinguished  place, 
on  the  gospel  side  of  the  high  altar. 

We  must  not  omit  mentioning  the  after-fate  of 
the  vessel  which  brought  the  precious  deposit  from 
Malacca  to  Goa.  As  soon  as  the  crew  had  disem- 
barked and  all  the  cargo  landed,  she  opened  and 
sunk,  as  if  unwilling  to  be  employed  in  any  less 
glorious  office. 

With  regard  to  the  body  itself,  we  may  as  well 
state  that  it  was  juridically  inspected  from  time 
to  time  by  the  doctors  and  prelates  of  Goa,  who 
always  found  it,  not  only  incorrupt,  but  flexible, 
and  of  its  natural  color,  so  much  so  that,  four 
years  after  the  death  of  the  saint,  James  Diaz 
Carvallo,  landing  at  Goa,  requested  to  see  it,  and 
at  the  first  glance,  petrified  with  awe,  he  exclaimed, 
“He  is  alive!  he  is  alive  !”  On  two  occasions, 
some  one  applied  their  finger  to  the  wound  in  the 
shoulder  caused  by  the  rough  usage  when  he  was 
interred  at  Malacca,  and  both  times  the  finger  pro- 
duced a flow  of  blood  and  water.  Fresh  blood 
likewise  flowed  from  his  neck  and  stained  the 
brocade  pillow  which  supported  his  head, — once 
when  the  body  was  pressed  into  a coffin  somewhat 
too  short. 

Another  time,  the  body  was  exposed  in  the 
church  with  the  feet  uncovered,  to  enable  the 
people  to  kiss  them  as  devotion  prompted : an  old 
woman  indiscreetly  pious,  anxious  to  have  some 
relic  of  the  saint,  instead  of  kissing  the  foot,  bit  a 
piece  off  one  of  the  toes;  but  she  could  not  con- 
ceal her  theft,  for  the  flowing  blood  immediately 
betrayed  her.  Thus  was  our  Lord  pleased  to  honor 
4fi 


642  THE  LIFE  OF 

a virginal  body  which  had  been  so  instrumental  to 
hie  glory. 

It  is  true,  the  saint  seems  not  to  have  been 
pleased  at  the  amputation  of  his  arm  : at  least,  from 
thenceforward  the  body,  though  still  incorrupt, 
did  not  retain  the  same  florid  complexion,  or  look 
altogether  so  handsome,  as  before.  Father  Claudius 
Acquaviva,  general  of  the  Society,  sent  orders  for 
the  right  arm  to  be  taken  off  at  the  elbow  and 
sent  to  Borne  to  .enrich  the  mother  Church  of 
the  order,  which,  having  given  Xavier  entirely  to 
the  Indies,  thought  it  but  fair  that  the  Indies 
should  restore  at  least  one  limb.  Superiors  there, 
however  reluctant,  were  obliged  to  obey.  On  the 
3d  of  November,  1616,  the  case  was  opened  and 
the  arm  severed  from  the  trunk.  It  was  trans- 
ferred the  year  following  from  India  to  Portugal, 
when,  had  not  God  watched  over  it,  Borne  would 
not  have  gained  what  Goa  had  lost.  Father  Sebas- 
tian Gonzales,  the  procurator  of  the  province,  ac- 
companied it  to  Europe  in  a small  vessel,  quite  un- 
fitted to  contend  in  battle  against  the  large  ships 
of  war  usually  met  with  on  those  seas  : they  found 
themselves  pursued  by  a Dutch  man-of-war, — a 
double  enemy,  on  the  score  of  religion  as  well  as 
of  nationality.  The  Portuguese  gave  themselves 
up  for  lost : crowd  what  sail  they  would,  there  was 
no  chance  of  outstripping  their  formidable  adver- 
sary; still  less  had  they  to  hope  from  an  engage-  1 
ment,  having  neither  soldiers  nor  ammunition.  All  j 
at  once  they  remembered  that  they  had  the  arm  t 
of  St.  Francis  Xavier  to  defend  them,  and  they  ^ 
entreated  Father  Gonzales  to  hold  it  up  in  sight  ,• 
of  the  enemy,  whilst  they  on  their  knees  would  . 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


543 


supplicate  the  saint  to  have  pity — if  not  on  them, 
who  were  unworthy  of  it — at  least  on  so  precious 
a portion  of  himself,  and  not  permit  it  to  fall  into 
such  impious  hands.  The  Dutch  were  already  so 
close  upon  them  that  they  could  hear  their  shouts 
of  exultation  in  anticipation  of  an  easy  victory. 

\ Gonzales  made  his  appearance,  bearing  the  saint’s 
arm.  The  crew  instantly  fell  on  their  knees.  The 
father  advanced  to  the  edge  of  the  deck,  directly 
facing  the  enemy,  not  invoking  Xavier  against 
them,  but,  crying  out  aloud  in  his  name,  he  threat- 
ened them,  and  forbade  them  to  advance  another 
yard.  And  assuredly  it  was  the  voice  of  God  and 
of  the  saint,  speaking  through  his  mouth;  for 


there  stood  the  Dutch  ship,  with  all  her  sails 


spread,  yet  as  motionless  as  if  she  had  been  sud- 
denly embedded  in  ice,  the  Portuguese  brig  in  the 
mean  time  pursuing  her  passage  in  safety  to  Lisbon. 
The  Dutchmen  seemed  stupefied,  or  as  it  were  be- 
witched, as  they  witnessed  the  miraculous  effects, 
the  cause  of  which  was  totally  unknown  to  them, 
i This  was  not  the  only  one,  nor  the  greatest,  of 
1 the  miracles  wrought  by  God  in  order  to  give  cele- 
i brity  to  the  name  and  authenticity  to  the  sanctity 
s of  his  servant.  Scarcely  is  there  a city  of  Europe, 
* Asia,  or  America  that  does  not  record  some  mar- 
a vellous  intervention  of  divine  favor  granted  to  the 
i merits  and  intercession  of  St.  Francis  Xavier.  But, 
without  dwelling  on  these  for  the  present,  we  must 
Hi  briefly  bear  witness  to  the  merits  of  Xavier  by 
i showing  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held 
ef  before  and  after  his  death  by  every  person  of  every 
(A  class  and  every  religion.  To  begin  with  Moham- 
il(i  medans  and  savages.  The  licentiate  Barbuda,  who, 


544 


THE  LIFE  OF 


by  order  of  the  king,  visited  the  coast  of  Africa 
subject  to  the  crown  of  Portugal,  tells  us  that  at 
Mozambique,  Sofala,  and  the  neighboring  islands 
the  name  of  Father  Francis  was  as  much  respected 
as  in  India,  and  that  the  people  inquired  as 
anxiously  about  him  as  if  he  had  been  personally 
known  to  them : in  fact,  he  was  more  celebrated 
than  any  of  their  native  potentates:  he  was  spoken 
of  as  the  great  father,  the  master  of  miracles,  the  man  of 
heaven,  the  god  of  the  world.,  &c.  Numbers  of  these 
people  left  country  and  family,  travelling  thou- 
sands of  miles,  only  that  they  might  see  him;  they 
addressed  him  on  their  knees,  kissed  his  hand,  and 
applied  it  to  their  foreheads, — which  is  considered  a 
mark  of  most  humble  reverence.  Still  more  wonder- 
ful to  relate,  those  who  most  cordially  hated  the 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ  nevertheless  loved  Xavier,  ad- 
mired his  sanctity,  and  carefully  preserved  whatever 
he  had  used  or  touched.  At  Saxuma,  so  late  as 
1615,  the  idolaters  there  still  showed  a stone, 
which  they  kept  as  something  precious,  because  the 
saint  had  often  stood  upon  it  when  he  preached  in 
public.  And  in  Amanguki,  though  the  town  was 
often  devastated  by  civil  dissensions,  those  savages 
always  watched  over  and  saved  from  destruction 
the  house  which  he  had  there  inhabited,  where  the 
Christians  had  assembled  on  festivals  to  hear  his 
instructions  and  on  Fridays  to  take  the  discipline. 
When  his  life  was  published  in  Europe,  some  one 
carried  a copy  of  it  to  Japan,  where  it  was  imme- 
diately translated  into  the  language  of  the  country 
and  most  eagerly  read  with  admiration  and  ap- 
plause. Merchants  would  pay  at  a double  rate  to 
be  able  to  sail  or  send  their  merchandise  in  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER  545 

same  ship  with  him:  no  matter  how  shattered  or 
ill  appointed  the  vessel  might  be,  if  the  great  father 
only  were  on  board,  every  one  felt  safe,  saying 
that  there  was  no  wind,  no  storm,  no  waves,  which 
would  not  respect  his  commands.  A certain  Mo- 
hammedan related  that  he  once  left  several  new 
and  strong  ships,  and  sailed  in  a very  old  one, 
merely  because  the  saint  was  there : as  they  all 
crossed  the  gulf  in  company,  a formidable  tempest 
arose,  when  every  ship  perished  save  the  one  which 
carried  Xavier. 

As  for  his  predictions,  the  infidels  relied  quite  as 
implicitly  upon  them  as  the  Christians.  There  was 
a Mohammedan  pilot,  noted  in  all  the  ports  of 
India,  of  whom  Xavier  prophesied  that  he  would 
die  a Christian.  The  man  was  so  certain  of  it 
himself,  that  when  the  Portuguese  used  to  try  and 
persuade  him  to  be  baptized,  he  would  tell  them 
not  to  be  uneasy  about  him,  for  he  should  most 
certainly  not  die  unbaptized,  the  holy  father  having 
promised  him  this,  but  that  it  would  not  be  till 
shortly  before  his  death:  they  might,  therefore, 
leave  him  in  peace  some  years  longer,  and  then  he 
would  go  straight  from  earth  to  heaven.  And  so 
it  proved;  for  in  his  last  moments  he  received 
baptism,  and  then  died  immediately. 

In  public  and  private  calamities,  such  as  pesti- 
lence, famine,  or  storms,  Saracens  and  idolaters,  as 
well  as  Christians,  invoked  the  aid  of  Xavier;  and 
frequently  were  the  votive  offerings  presented  to 
the  churches  dedicated  to  him  or  in  any  other 
manner  connected  with  his  name.  On  the  western 
coast  of  Comorin,  the  Mohammedans  dedicated  a 
mosque  to  him  in  gratitude,  and  also  that  thejr 
2 K 46* 


546 


THE  LIFE  OF 


might  have  a place  where  recourse  could  alwa}’8 
be  had  to  his  intercession  in  cases  of  necessity. 
The  King  of  Travancore,  also  a Mohammedan, 
built  another,  and  endowed  it  munificently.  Infidels 
of  every  sect  went  in  crowds  to  his  tomb,  making 
these  pilgrimages  from  far-distant  countries.  The 
ambassadors  of  the  Great  Mogul,  having  heard  of 
the  fame  of  Father  Francis  at  their  court,  visited 
his  remains,  and  on  entering  the  church  took  off 
their  shoes  in  token  of  respect,  and  approached 
the  tomb  with  many  profound  inclinations  and 
prostrations. 

From  the  pagans  let  us  pass  on  to  the  new 
Christians,  when  we  need  but  remember  the  re- 
spectful welcome  with  which  they  always  greeted 
his  arrival  among  them  after  some  little  absence. 
Villages  and  hamlets  poured  forth  all  their  inha- 
bitants to  go  and  meet  him ; children  in  troops, 
singing  the  Christian  doctrine,  mothers  with  their 
infants  in  their  arms,  and,  in  fine,  all  ages  and  both 
sexes,  sallied  forth  to  welcome  the  holy  father. 
Along  the  Coast  of  Fishery,  especially,  people 
spread  their  garments,  that  he  might  walk  upon 
them, — to  his  extreme  confusion  : nevertheless,  he 
was  obliged  to  submit  to  it  in  patience,  because 
neither  his  entreaties  nor  forbearance  could  prevent 
it:  moreover,  he  was  fearful  of  checking  the  piety 
and  faith  of  these  new  converts.  Those  deemed 
themselves  most  favored  who  gave  him  a lodging; 
every  one  seemed  anxious  to  secure  something  be- 
longing to  him;  and  when  his  poverty  had  nothing 
left  to  give,  they  would  request  his  name  in  his 
own  handwriting,  with  some  little  word  of  advice 
for  the  good  of  their  souls.  These  precious  slips 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  547 

of  paper  were  most  carefully  preserved  as  family 
heirlooms,  descending  from  father  to  son  as  a valu- 
able part  of  the  inheritance;  and  with  good  rea- 
son, too,  both  for  the  sake  of  the  hand  whence 
they  proceeded,  and  the  numberless  cures  which 
they  effected.  After  his  death,  those  whom  he  had 
baptized  were  held  in  singular  veneration;  and 
their  best  boast  was  being  able  to  say,  “I  received 
baptism  from  the  hand  of  Father  Francis.” 

Churches  in  his  honor  were  erected  in  many 
places,  and  so  much  prized,  that  when  the  Saracens 
overran  the  coast  of  Travancore,  destroying  twelve 
churches  dedicated  to  other  sainrs,  the  natives, 
being  too  poor  to  rebuild  them  all,  restored  but 
one;  and  that  one  bore  the  name  of  St.  Francis 
Xavier.  We  may  form  some  idea  of  the  number 
of  pilgrims  that  used  to  resort  thither  from  various 
countries,  from  the  fact  stated  by  Father  Nunez, — 
that  the  Christians  there  were  obliged  to  sink 
another  well  for  the  accommodation  of  the  stran- 
gers. Many  of  the  more  ancient  churches  lost 
their  original  titles  if  an  altar  or  any  particular 
image  of  Saint  Francis  Xavier  were  raised  within 
them,  his  name  soon  superseding  the  older  ones. 
The  following  instance  of  devoted  affection,  though 
carried  to  excess,  will  show  how  highly  he  was 
esteemed  by  the  Indians.  They  could  not  bear  to 
have  it  said  that  there  was  a greater  saint  in 
heaven  than  St.  Xavier;  and  if  any  one  reminded 
them  of  the  apostles,  “Well,”  would  they  rejoin, 
“and  so  was  he  an  apostle  too.  To  how  many 
kingdoms  did  he  carry  the  gospel ! how  many  na- 
tions did  he  convert  and  baptize  with  his  own 
hand  ! was  the  gift  of  miracles,  of  tongues,  of  pro 


548 


THE  LIFE  OF 


phecy,  wanting  to  him?  Look  at  the  sanctity  of 
his  life;  look  at  his  death,  equivalent  to  martyr- 
dom ; look  at  his  incorrupt  body  !” 

They  were  scandalized  that  measures  were  not 
taken  for  his  immediate  canonization : therefore 
the  King  of  Bungo,  to  gratify  the  Christians  of 
Japan,  the  Bishops  of  Goa,  Cochin,  Angamale,  and 
others,  sent  a petition  in  the  name  of  the  public  to 
the  sovereign  Pontiff  at  Rome,  requesting  faculties 
to  enter  upon  the  canonical  processes  in  the  man- 
ner prescribed.  And  when  the  natives,  who  had 
been  acquainted  with  the  saint,  were  examined 
upon  some  point,  and  asked  whether  they  consi- 
dered Father  Francis  a holy  man,  they  grew 
utterly  indignant  at  the  question,  as  if  by  any 
possibility  such  a thing  could  be  doubted. 

As  a last  circumstance  connected  with  this  sub 
ject,  we  may  state  that  one  of  his  Indian  converts, 
regardless  of  the  dangers  of  the  voyage,  traversed 
those  many  thousand  miles  of  water  between  India 
and  Europe,  merely  to  visit  the  castle  of  Xavier 
and  to  kiss  the  walls  and  floor  of  the  room  in  which 
Father  Francis  was  born.  Having  satisfied  his 
devotion,  and  picked  a little  piece  of  stone  out  of 
the  wall  to  carry  with  him  as  a relic,  he  returned 
to  the  Indies,  without  caring  to  see  any  of  the 
many  wonders  of  Europe. 

Nor  was  he  in  less  veneration  among  the  old 
Christians  of  India,  especially  the  Portuguese, 
than  among  the  converts.  Father  Francis  was  a 
never-failing  topic  of  conversation  with  them: 
every  one  had  something  wonderful  to  relate  about 
him, — of  what  he  did  for  God,  or  what  God  did 
for  him.  We  may  say  the  same  of  the  letters 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


549 


which  they  wrote  to  their  friends  in  Europe,  where 
he  was  as  far  famed  as  in  India.  Even  in  his  life- 
time, preachers  eulogized  him  from  the  pulpit,  so 
that  in  the  Old  World  the  name  of  Father  Francis 
was  already  glorious. 

The  Portuguese,  both  of  the  East  and  West, 
were  firmly  persuaded  that  Almighty  God,  for  the 
sake  of  this  his  servant,  preserved  the  Indian  ter- 
ritories to  the  crown  of  Portugal.  In  the  year 
1552,  which  was  the  last  of  his  life,  when  the  cap- 
tain of  one  of  the  royal  ships  was  presented  at 
court  on  his  return  home  and  was  asked  by  the 
king  what  news  he  had  brought  from  the  Indies, 
he  returned  this  answer  : — “ May  it  please  your 
majesty,  I bring  you  news  that  Father  Francis  is 
still  alive;  and  so  long  as  this  is  the  case  there  is 
no  danger  of  your  receiving  other  than  good  news 
from  there.  May  God  long  preserve  him  for  the 
welfare  of  those  states  V*  The  wise  monarch  was 
himself  so  thoroughly  convinced  of  this,  that  he 
sent  positive  orders  to  the  officials  out  there,  from 
the  viceroy  to  the  lowest  man  in  office,  to  carry 
into  effect  whatever  Father  Francis  judged  proper, 
either  for  the  reformation  of  the  manners  of  the 
Portuguese,  for  the  maintenance  of  the  faith  among 
the  ludians,  or  for  its  propagation  among  the 
pagans;  and  that  wherever  the  father  or  others 
of  the  Society  had  to  travel,  no  matter  how  distant 
the  countries  might  be,  the  king’s  ships  were  to 
give  them  passage,  and  all  their  expenses  to  be  de- 
frayed at  the  cost  of  the  royal  exchequer. 

Two  years  later,  when  news  of  the  saint’s  death 
arrived,  the  king  was  exceedingly  grieved,  more 
for  himself  and  for  India  than  for  the  holy  man, — 


550 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  whose  glory  he  felt  so  certain  that  in  1556  he 
wrote  to  the  viceroy  Don  Francis  Barreto,  desiring 
that  whilst  the  memory  of  Xavier  was  still  fresh, 
and  the  eye-witnesses  still  living,  juridical  infor- 
mations on  the  virtues  and  miracles  of  the  servant 
of  God,  Father  Francis  Xavier,  should  be  insti- 
tuted in  the  four  principal  cities  of  Goa,  Cochin, 
Bazaim,  and  Malacca.  The  Archbishop  of  Goa, 
Don  Christopher  of  Lisbon,  always  wore  a little 
picture  of  the  saint  upon  his  breast,  which  he  often 
kissed  and  looked  at.  He  was  rewarded  for  his 
devotion  by  being  miraculously  cured  once  when 
he  was  suffering  from  a dreadful  attack  of  the 
stone.  Gonzalo  Fernandez,  converted  by  the  saint 
from  a life  of  profligacy,  tells  us  that  whenever 
Xavier  called  at  his  house  he  used  to  crawl  on  his 
knees  to  the  door  to  receive  him,  not  deeming  any 
other  attitude  sufficiently  reverential  toward  one 
so  highly  favored  by  Almighty  God.  Even  James 
Pereira,  with  whom  the  saint  was  so  extremely 
intimate  and  familiar,  could  not  bear  to  stand  in 
his  presence  otherwise  than  bareheaded;  and  he 
said  that  when  he  was  conversing  with  him  he 
experienced  much  the  same  feeling  as  he  might  if 
in  the  presence  of  Almighty  God. 

When  he  arrived  in  barbarous  infidel  countries, 
the  Portuguese  received  him  almost  with  regal 
honors,  the  most  distinguished  among  them  eagerly 
acting  as  his  courtiers.  When  he  walked  out, 
they  wrould  take  off  their  cloaks  and  spread  them 
in  the  road  for  him  to  walk  upon ; or,  if  he  were 
seated  in  the  presence  of  some  distinguished  per- 
sonage, they  rolled  their  cloaks  up,  to  make  a 
cushion  of  them  for  him ; and  when  his  humility 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  551 

H as  pained,  (as  on  such  occasions  it  always  was,) 
and  he  would  forbid  them  to  do  this,  they  pacified 
him  by  telling  him  they  did  it  to  show  the  pagans 
how  highly  the  Christians  respected  the  ministers 
of  the  gospel. 

Fernandez  Vellio,  of  whom  we  have  before 
spoken,  could  never  speak  of  him  without  tears. 
Houses  in  which  he  had  lodged  became  so  precious 
to  their  owners  that  money  could  not  purchase 
them.  Persons  who  would  refuse  a favor  when 
asked  it  for  the  sake  of  Cod,  or  our  Blessed  Lady, 
became  softened  when  asked  to  grant  it  for  the 
love  of  Father  Francis. 

Every  one  seemed  anxious  to  die  in  his  hands, 
in  the  persuasion  that  their  salvation  would  then 
be  safe.  A Portuguese  happened  to  die  at  Sancian 
just  before  the  body  of  the  saint  was  exhumed  and 
carried  on  board  a ship.  The  friends  of  the  de- 
ceased buried  him  in  the  vacant  grave,  saying  that 
God  would  never  leave  that  soul  in  purgatory 
whose  body  rested  in  a spot  hallowed  by  the  re- 
mains of  Father  Francis. 

This  very  spot  became  such  an  object  of  vene- 
ration to  the  Portuguese,  that  a rich  merchant 
who  often  passed  that  way  to  and  from  Macao 
and  Cochin-China  never  passed  it  but  with  lowered 
sails  and  a full  discharge  of  artillery. 

In  the  year  1555,  Father  Melchior  Nunez  passed 
on  his  way  to  Japan.  The  fleet  consisted  of 
several  merchantmen  and  men-of-war.  They  all 
cast  anchor  off  the  isle  of  Sancian ; and  soldiers, 
sailors,  and  merchants  went  all  together  in  pro- 
cession to  visit  the  first  grave  of  their  saintly 
father.  Finding  the  spot  wild  and  overgrown 


552 


THE  LIFE  OF 


with  weeds,  they  cleared  it,  and  raised  a bank 
breast-high  around  it,  both  to  preserve  it  from 
wild  beasts  and  as  a future  guide  or  memorial  of 
the  place.  They  then  planted  a large  cross ; and, 
raising  a portable  altar  just  over  the  grave,  Nunez 
celebrated  a solemn  mass,  with  vocal  and  instru- 
mental music,  all  passing  olf  with  the  greatest 
solemnity  and  devotion.  The  mass  being  ended, 
he  turned  round  from  the  altar,  and,  arrayed  as 
he  was  in  the  sacred  vestments,  delivered  a pane- 
gyric on  the  life  and  virtues  of  the  apostolic  man. 
It  must  be  owned  that  great  part  of  his  address 
was  lost,  absolutely  drowned  in  his  own  and  his 
hearers’  tears.  The  spot  reminded  them  so  for- 
cibly of  him  whom  they  had  lost,  that  they  seemed 
to  have  him  before  their  eyes,  in  a dead  or  dying 
state.  After  kissing  the  grave  a thousand  times, 
and  each  one  taking  a handful  of  the  earth  to 
distribute  among  their  friends  in  India,  they  re- 
turned to  their  ships  and  weighed  anchor.  This 
respect  for  the  place  was  no  evanescent  burst  of 
piety.  It  so  far  increased  as  to  awaken  the  sus- 
picion of  the  Chinese  authorities,  who,  fancying 
some  enormous  wealth  was  buried  there,  placed  a 
guard  upon  the  spot,  to  prevent  it  from  being  car- 
ried away. 

It  now  remains  to  show  in  how  great  esteem 
Xavier  was  held  by  his  own  religious  brethren, 
many  of  whom  were  his  pupils  and  the  imitators 
of  his  virtue.  The  first  feeling  of  delight  in  those 
who  were  chosen  for  the  Indian  missions  was  oc- 
casioned by  the  expected  meeting  with  Father 
Francis ; and  as  Almighty  God  so  often  kept  him 
at  a distance  from  Goa,  many  of  them  were  thus 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  553 

disappointed, — when  they  feelingly  expressed  their 
regret  under  the  disappointment  in  their  letters  to 
their  friends  in  Europe.  But  whenever  they  were 
fortunate  enough  to  meet  with  him,  they  one  and 
all  wrote  of  him  in  the  same  strain  of  respectful 
affection.  In  1456,  Father  Paul  Yalle,  not  finding 
him  at  Goa  on  his  arrival  from  Europe,  followed 
him  to  Cochin  under  pretext  of  delivering  letters 
to  him,  and  thus  writes : — “ As  soon  as  I cast  my 
eyes  upon  him,  I could  not  help  exclaiming,  Truly , 
truly , truly , this  is  the  servant  of  the  Lord!  and  no- 
where shall  we  find  his  like!  It  is  impossible  to 
describe  the  effect  produced,  not  alone  by  speaking 
to  him,  but  even  by  the  very  sight  of  him.  A 
desire  of  serving  God  is  immediately  enkindled 
in  the  soul.,,  He  then  goes  on  to  say  that  during 
the  five  days  he  spent  with  him  he  seemed  to  be 
in  paradise,  and  that  they  passed  like  a moment. 

Father  Gonzales,  too,  thus  writes  of  his  first 
interview  with  Xavier: — “We  were  extremely 
gratified  on  reaching  Goa,  because  we  there  found 
Father  Master  Francis,  whose  virtue  is  so  admi- 
rable that  I have  never  elsewhere  met  his  equal. 
He  is  so  replenished  and,  indeed,  overflowing 
with  the  love  of  God,  that  one  can  see  nothing 
else  in  him.  We  possess  among  us  a living 
martyr.  However,  all  that  I can  say  of  him  is 
nothing;  for  it  would  be  impossible  to  describe  him 
as  he  is.  Almost  as  soon  as  I arrived,  he  started 
for  Cape  Comorin, — to  ray  great  regret;  for  in 
losing  him  I almost  felt  as  if  I were  no  longer  in 
the  Society.” 

If  I undertook  to  transcribe  all  that  his  com- 
panions in  India  wrote  about  him  to  their  friends 
47 


554 


THE  LIFE  OF 


in  Europe,  I might  fill  a whole  volume.  In  place 
of  this,  then,  let  it  suffice  to  give  the  opinions  of 
two  grea-,  masters  of  spirituality,  namely,  Father 
Nunez  and  the  father  of  the  whole  order,  St.  Igna 
tius  himself.  The  former  was  once  asked  whether 
he  thought  there  was  any  comparison  between 
Father  Gonzales  Silveira — that  man  so  illustrious 
for  the  sanctity  of  his  life  and  the  glory  of  his 
martyrdom — and  Father  Francis  Xavier.  Nunez, 
who  was  intimately  acquainted  with  both  these 
holy  men,  returned  this  precise  answer: — “ Father 
Silveira  was,  as  we  all  know,  a saint : there  can  be 
no  doubt  about  it.  But,  in  comparison  wdth  him, 
Father  Francis  was  an  architect  compared  to  a 
common  mason.”  He  then  entered  into  a descrip- 
tion of  the  qualities  of  his  soul,  which  shall  be 
given  when  descanting  on  his  virtues.  The  said 
Father  Silveira,  though  personally  unknown  to 
Xavier,  had  such  an  opinion  of  him  that  he  used 
to  call  the  Coast  of  the  Fishery  his  paradise,  and 
wish  that  he  might  live  and  die  there;  saying  that 
it  was  the  most  sanctified  place  in  the  East,  being 
rendered  illustrious  by  the  many  memorials  of 
him. 

As  for  St.  Ignatius,  we  cannot  better  show  the 
high  opinion  which  he  entertained  of  Father 
Francis  than  by  the  fact  of  his  recalling  him  tc 
Europe,  expressly  with  the  intention,  as  we  learn 
from  Father  Polancus,  of  resigning  the  generalato 
into  his  hands.  The  holy  father  sent  him  the  order 
to  return  to  Europe  in  a letter  dated  the  28th  of 
June,  1553,  in  which  he  thus  explains  himself: — 
“ Looking  to  the  greater  service  of  our  Lord  God, 
to  the  good  of  souls  in  those  parts,  and  to  that 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  555 

which  concerns  their  welfare  in  Portugal,  1 have 
decided  on  commanding  you.  in  virtue  of  holy 
obedience,  to  add  to  your  many  other  voyages 
that  of  Portugal,  by  the  first  favorable  opportunity 
you  can  meet  with ; and  I give  you  this  command 
in  the  name  of  Christ  our  Lord.  In  order  that 
you  may  support  my  decision  against  those  who 
would  seek  to  detain  you  in  India,  I give  you  my 
reasons  for  recalling  you.  In  the  first  place,  you 
must  know  how  much  the  welfare  and  propagation 
of  Christianity  in  those  parts,  as  well  as  in  Guinea 
and  Brazil,  depend  on  the  orders  given  by  the 
king  and  his  Government  at  Lisbon.  It  is  de- 
sirable, therefore,  that  so  pious  and  well-inten- 
tioned a prince  should  be  accurately  informed  on 
these  points  by  an  experienced  person  like  yourself; 
when  we  may  presume  his  majesty  would,  at  your 
representation,  be  induced  to  do  many  things  out 
there  for  the  service  of  God  our  Lord.  Moreover, 
it  is  important  that  the  holy  see  should  have  full 
and  clear  information,  from  some  person  of  credit, 
on  the  state  of  religion  in  the  Indies,  that  it  may 
be  enabled  to  provide  suitably  for  the  necessities 
of  that  interesting  Church, — for  the  advantage  of 
the  new  as  well  as  of  the  ancient  Christians;  and 
for  this  you  will  be  better  qualified  than  any  one 
else,  both  on  account  of  your  intimate  acquaintance 
with  the  affairs  of  those  countries,  and  because 
of  the  consideration  in  which  you  are  held.  You 
know,  too,  how  important  it  is  to  the  welfare  of 
the  Indies  that  those  whom  we  send  out  thither 
should  be  persons  suited  to  the  position.  Your 
presence  in  Portugal  will  be  of  essential  service 
this  respect:  far  greater  numbers  would  pro 


556 


THE  LIFE  OF 


bably  be  induced  to  seek  those  missions,  whilst 
from  these  numbers  you  would  be  able  to  select 
those  you  deemed  best  suited  to  the  purpose : be- 
sides, you  yourself  must  have  observed  that  your 
written  description  of  those  you  want  is  not  always 
sufficient  to  guide  our  choice : therefore  you,  or 
some  other  well-informed  person,  should  see  and  be 
able  to  form  an  opinion  of  those  who  are  to  be  sent. 
Besides  these  considerations,  referring  chiefly  to 
India,  you  will  be  able  to  influence  the  king  to 
look  to  the  good  of  Ethiopia,  which  has  so  often 
been  on  the  tapis  without  any  thing  effectual  being 
done.  In  like  manner,  you  may  be  able  to  do  much 
for  Congo  and  Brazil,  which  you  would  not  be  able 
to  do  in  India,  because  there  are  no  commercial 
relations  between  those  countries.  If  it  should 
seem  to  you  that  your  presence  is  necessary  to 
the  government,  you  may  surely  govern  them 
better  from  Portugal  than  from  China  or  Japan. 
For  the  rest,  I refer  you  to  Father  Polancus. 
With  all  my  heart  do  I recommend  myself  to  your 
prayers : I beseech  the  divine  and  sovereign  good- 
ness to  be  pleased  to  give  us  his  perfect  grace  to 
know  his  most  holy  wTill  and  fully  to  accomplish 
it.”  This  letter  bore  no  other  signature  than  the 
letter  I, — which  would,  nevertheless,  have  been 
quite  enough  to  insure  obedience;  for  had  the 
saint  lived  to  receive  this  letter  there  is  not  the 
least  doubt  but  that  he  would  have  taken  his  pass- 
age in  the  first  ship  that  sailed  for  Europe,  and 
have  willingly  braved  all  the  dangers  of  the  ocean 
„o  have  thrown  himself  once  more  at  the  feet  of 
his  beloved  father. 

Once  when  St.  Francis  was  writing  to  St.  Igna 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  557 

tius,  and  expressing  the  hope  of  seeing  him  again 
before  he  died,  he  said  that  this  happiness  could 
only  be  hoped  for  through  obedience,  for  that 
obedience  could  do  all  things. 

To  the  above  letter,  written  by  St.  Ignatius 
himself,  Father  Polancus,  the  secretary,  added  the 
following  postscript : — “ Besides  what  our  father 
writes  in  his  letter,  (which,  or  at  least  a part,  you 
can  show  to  those  who  will  require  an  account  of 
your  recall  to  Portugal,)  there  are  other  reasons, 
no  less  i mportant  than  those  he  has  specified.  Your 
reverence  must  know  that  the  subject  has  been 
mooted  in  Spain,  Portugal,  and  Italy,  so  entirely 
to  the  general  satisfaction,  that  all  who  have  been 
consulted  are  of  opinion  that  j^our  return  will  con- 
tribute much  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  universal 
good.  Such  is  our  father’s  belief;  and  his  opinion 
is  worth  many  powerful  reasons.  I beseech  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord  to  conduct  all  things  to  his  ser- 
vice and  to  his  greater  glory.  Amen.” 

Whilst  these  letters  were  preparing  in  Eome, 
seven  months  had  already  elasped  since  Xavier 
had  passed  from  the  Indies  to  heaven;  but  had 
Almighty  God  so  permitted  that  the  letter  of  Igna- 
tius had  found  him  alive,  we  should  have  seen  how 
much  he  was  prized  out  there;  for  the  Indians 
would  have  thrown  the  whole  world  into  commo- 
tion rather  than  have  lost  him,  and  in  all  proba- 
bility a strict  prohibition  would  have  been  issued 
against  any  of  the  vessels  affording  him  a passage, 
in  which  case  we  should  undoubtedly  have  wit- 
nessed some  miracle  of  his  obedience : had  no 
other  means  been  left  him,  he  would  have  under- 
taken the  journey  on  foot  even  across  the  ocean. 

47* 


558 


THE  LIFE  OF 


The  fame  of  his  sanctity  and  miracles  was  as  far 
spread  in  Europe  as  in  Asia:  he  was  looked  upon 
as  an  incomparable  man,  and,  had  he  returned,  he 
would  have  been  received  in  a manner  correspond- 
ing with  his  merit.  When  Cardinal  Santa  Croce 
heard  that  Father  Francis  was  recalled  to  Europe 
and  that  Home  would  see  him,  he  wept  for  joy. 
Horne  already  talked  of  giving  him  a public,  solemn 
reception ; but  her  honors  in  his  regard  were  to  be 
reserved  for  the  period  of  his  canonization. 

Having  said  so  much  of  the  esteem  in  which  the 
man  of  God  was  held  by  every  class  and  sect,  let 
us  now  show  how  Almighty  God  was  pleased  to 
honor  the  memory  of  his  servant  after  his  death, 
by  means  of  continued  and  stupendous  miracles: 
not  that  I undertake  to  narrate  all  that  have  oc- 
cui’red,  for  this  would  be  an  endless  task : we 
know  that  from  the  extremities  of  the  New  World 
cities  and  kingdoms  have  chosen  him  for  their 
patron  solely  in  consequence  of  the  miracles 
granted  to  his  intercession. 

To  begin  with  the  two  coasts  of  Travancore  and 
the  Fishery.  About  midway  between  the  two  lies 
a territory  of  idolaters,  called  Kotate,  where  there 
is  a church  consecrated  to  the  name  of  St.  Francis 
Xavier:  it  is  unpretending,  and  less  magnificent 
than  many  others,  but  is  widely  celebrated  for  the 
innumerable  and  utupendous  miracles  wrought  by 
God  before  a picture  of  the  holy  apostle  which 
Father  Buserius  placed  there.  The  pagans  make 
pH  grimages  to  it,  and  bring  their  votive  offerings 
in  gratitude  for  favors  solicited  and  conferred.  It 
had  formerly  been  their  practice  to  prove  a judicial 
truth  by  the  ordeal  of  red-hot  iron  or  boiling  oil; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  559 

but  from  the  time  when  the  name  of  Father 
Francis  became  so  celebrated,  to  swear  by  his 
name  was  deemed  a stronger  affirmation  of  truth 
than  any  other:  perjury  in  connection  with  so 
holy  a name  was  believed  to  be  impossible.  Oui 
Lord  was  pleased  to  authenticate  this  pious  prac- 
tice by  a prodigy.  It  is  related  that  a pagan,  who 
owed  a Christian  a considerable  sum  of  money, 
denied  the  debt;  and  as  the  latter  could  not  juridi- 
cally prove  it,  he  insisted  on  his  taking  an  oath 
upon  it  in  the  church  of  Kotate,  before  the  picture 
of  the  saint.  The  pagan  had  no  objection  to  com- 
mit perjury ; but  scarcely  had  he  reached  his  own 
house  on  returning  from  the  church  when  he  was 
taken  violently  ill,  burst  a blood-vessel,  and  expired, 
to  the  great  terror  of  all  his  acquaintance. 

In  the  vicinity  of  this  church  dwelt  an  idolater 
named  Peramy,  a poet  and  scholar  : he  was  seventy 
years  of  age,  and  was  much  respected  by  his  own 
sect : nevertheless,  in  mind  and  morals  he  was  far 
from  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God.  Father 
Buserius  used  every  endeavor  to  draw  him  from 
his  errors;  for  it  would  have  told  much  to  the 
honor  of  Christianity  if  such  a man  as  this  could 
have  been  wrested  from  the  hands  of  the  Brah- 
mins. He  admitted  the  excellence  of  the  Chris- 
tain  faith;  but,  as  he  was  already  grown  gray  in 
his  own,  he  thought  there  would  be  a sort  of  shame 
in  renouncing  it,  whilst  his  pride  recoiled  at  the 
idea  of  becoming  the  pupil  of  a new  creed,  having 
been  so  long  a master  of  his  own.  Whether  he 
wished  to  gratify  the  missionary  fathers,  or  that 
he  really  acted  from  the  impulse  of  his  heart,  we 
know  not;  but  at  all  events  he  composed  some  fine 


560 


THE  LIFE  OF 


poetry  in  praise  of  the  law  of  Christ,  of  Fathei 
Francis  Xavier,  and  of  Father  Nicholas  Spinola, 
then  Superior  of  that  mission.  Yet  he  still  ad- 
hered to  his  own  religion,  despite  his  high  com- 
mendation of  ours.  Almighty  God  and  Saint 
Francis  paid  him  well  for  the  little  he  had  done  in 
their  honor,  by  granting  him  the  grace  of  salva- 
tion, though  at  the  expense  of  the  temporary 
affliction  of  his  body : he  was  covered  with  a 
leprosy  from  head  to  foot,  aggravated  by  several 
boils  and  wounds,  which  soon  rendered  his  case 
deplorable : the  best  medical  skill  of  the  country 
proved  unavailing,  and  he  wras  left  with  little  or 
no  chance  of  life.  One  night  Father  Francis  ap- 
peared to  him  in  a dream,  and,  with  a smiling 
countenance,  bade  him  to  be  conveyed  to  his 
church,  which  was  close  at  hand,  for  that  if  he 
anointw  himself  with  the  oil  burning  before  his 
picture  he  would  recover  his  health.  He  did  so 
the  following  morning,  performing  more,  however, 
than  the  saint  enjoined;  for  on  reaching  the  door 
of  the  church  he  paused  at  the  threshold  and  there 
composed  a stanza  in  honor  of  Xavier.  On  being 
placed  before  the  picture,  he  anointed  himself  as 
desired,  and  had  no  sooner  done  so  than  all  the 
scales  of  the  leprosy  fell  from  him  and  all  his 
wounds  were  healed  : in  a word,  he  was  perfectly 
cured.  Within  the  space  of  two  months  he  was 
solemnly  baptized,  to  the  great  delight  of  • the 
Christians.  In  gratitude  to  the  memory  of  his 
deliverer,  he  took  the  name  of  Francis;  and,  not 
content  with  this,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  service 
of  the  said  church,  in  quality  of  sacristan. 

The  pagans  were  exceedingly  provoked  at  having 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  561 

thus  lost  one  of  their  most  distinguished  members 
they  would  often  insult  him,  and  reproach  him  fof 
his  inconstancy,  tauntingly  asking  how  a man  of 
his  age  could  consent  to  lose  all  merit  before  the 
gods  and  all  honor  before  men.  What  could  there 
be  in  the  Christian  religion  worthy  of  being  be- 
lieved by  so  learned  a man  as  himself?  Could  he 
find  in  his  new  church  the  ever-standing  miracle 
of  the  one  he  had  renounced  ? viz.,  could  the  Chris- 
tians use  water  instead  of  oil  to  burn  in  their 
church-lamps  ? And  yet  this  miracle  was  continu- 
ally witnessed  in  their  pagodas.  This  was  one  of 
the  inventive  stratagems  by  means  of  which  the 
Brahmins  imposed  on  the  credulity  of  the  people, 
pretending  that  water  burned  in  the  lamps  before 
their  idols.  Francis  ridiculed  the  idea  of  compar- 
ing the  two  religions,  and  answered  that  he  had 
only  discovered  one  point  of  ditference  between 
the  two,  namely,  Christianity  was  all  truth,  whilst 
their  creed  was  nothing  but  the  chimeras  of  intoxi- 
cation. Nevertheless,  this  miracle  which  they  so 
strongly  insisted  upon  weighed  heavily  on  his 
heart;  and  he  felt  most  anxious  to  be  able  to 
affirm  with  truth  of  his  church  that  which  his 
adversaries  falsely  ascribed  to  theirs.  And  as  it 
was  Almighty  God  who  inwardly  moved  him  to 
honor  Xavier,  so  did  he  inspire  him  with  the  idea 
of  coming  to  the  trial  in  that  very  church  of  which 
he  was  the  sacristan.  This  worthy  man  used  to 
speak  in  the  most  familiar  manner  to  his  patron 
when  before  his  picture.  One  day  he  filled  a 
lamp  with  holy  water,  carried  it  before  the  picture, 
applied  a lighted  match  to  the  wick,  and  then  ad- 
dressed the  saint  in  these  terms  : — “ There,  now  I 
2 L 


562 


THE  LIFE  OF 


let  us  see  whether  you  will  suffer  yourself  to  be 
overcome  by  your  enemies:  they  feign  miracles; 
now  show  us  that  you  can  work  true  ones.  I 
light  this  lamp  in  your  name;  and  if  the  honor  of 
God,  and  your  own,  be  dear  to  you,  take  care  that 
it  burns  brightly.”  Having  said  this,  he  not  only 
lighted  it,  but  two  or  three  more  besides, — not 
from  want  of  faith,  but  from  exuberance  of  delight 
at  seeing  the  first  burn  so  brilliantly.  Satisfied 
with  the  saint  and  with  himself,  he  rushed  out  of 
the  church,  calling  all  the  pagans  he  could  meet 
with  to  come  to  his  church,  where  they  might 
really  see  water  endued  with  the  properties  of 
oil : he  was  not  relating  distant  events  : the  mira- 
cle was  at  their  own  doors  : they  might  witness  it 
with  their  own  eyes : there  it  was,  in  actual  exist- 
ence before  the  picture  of  the  holy  father,  &c.  At 
first  the  people  believed  him  crazed;  but  as  it 
would  only  cost  them  a few  steps  to  clear  up  the 
case,  Christians  and  pagans  flocked  to  the  church, 
where  both  sight  and  touch  convinced  them  that 
the  lights  before  the  picture  were  sustained,  not 
with  oil,  but  with  plain  water.  Suspicious,  how- 
ever, either  of  sorcery  or  imposition,  the  pagans 
would  themselves  experimentalize  in  the  very 
church ; so,  fetching  water  and  wicks  of  their  own, 
each  one  provided  as  many  lamps  as  he  pleased, — 
which,  when  a light  was  applied  to  them,  all 
miraculously  continued  burning  : whereupon  the 
Christians  fell  prostrate,  blessing  God;  whilst  the 
pagans,  according  to  their  custom,  raised  their 
hands  to  heaven,  praising  the  saint  as  well  as  the 
powerful  God  of  the  Christians.  The  fame  of  this 
miracle  was  soon  circulated  through  the  neighbor 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


563 


mg  states,  and  Moorish  and  pagan  pilgrims, 
equally  with  the  Christians,  flocked  to  the  saint  of 
Kotate,  (as  thenceforth  they  styled  Xavier,)  some 
attracted  by  curiosity  and  others  by  devotion.  To 
all  who  wished  it,  the  faithful  sacristan  proved 
the  truth  of  the  miracle,  by  renewing  it  in  their 
presence : more  than  this,  he  published  an  account 
of  it  in  verse,  which  was  sung  with  acclamation 
all  over  India  Innumerable  miracles  are  related 
in  connection  with  this  one.  A Paravan  from 
Manapar  brought  fifteen  new  lamps  with  him, 
which  he  filled  with  water,  and  they  all  kept  alight. 
Anthony  Caxado,  in  gratitude  for  the  recovery  of 
his  sight  through  the  intercession  of  the  saint, 
brought  seventy,  which  he  filled  with  oil,  whilst 
he  lighted  four  others  with  water,  to  convince  him- 
self of  the  miracle : they  all  burned  with  equal 
brilliancy,  and  continued  to  do  so  for  four  whole 
days.  A Christian  widow,  whose  son  had  been 
miraculously  cured  by  the  saint,  brought  twenty, 
filling  some  with  oil  and  some  with  water.  Finally, 
whenever  there  was  a scarcity  of  oil  at  this  church, 
Bellario  Toti,  another  of  the  sacristans,  invariably 
filled  the  lamps  with  water,  which  always  burned 
just  as  well  as  oil.  If  the  wind  or  any  other  acci- 
dent extinguished  these  lamps,  it  was  remarked 
that  no  sooner  was  a light  applied  to  one  of  them, 
than  all  the  rest  simultaneously  lighted  of  them- 
selves, or,  rather,  were  lighted  by  the  invisible 
hand  of  some  angel. 

Nor  did  the  favors  conferred  by  the  saint  of 
Kotate  on  his  faithful  poet-sacristan  end  here. 
One  day  he  was  seized  with  most  dreadful  spasms, 
to  which  no  humai  remedv  afforded  the  slightest 


564 


THE  LIFE  OF 


relief;  so,  presenting  himself  before  the  picture  of 
his  beloved  saintly  father,  he  thus  accosted  him: — 
“ How  can  you  have  the  heart  to  see  your  sacristan, 
who  so  willingly  serves  you  day  and  night,  in  such 
excruciating  pain  ? Will  you  not  stretch  forth 
your  hand  to  cure  me?”  The  pain  entirely  ceased 
as  he  ended  his  little  petition;  nor  did  he  ever 
after  experience  a return  of  it.  The  following 
incident,  though  trivial  in  itself,  deserves  to  be  re- 
corded for  the  very  charm  of  its  simplicity.  On 
entering  the  church  one  morning  our  worth} 
sacristan  found,  to  his  dismay,  that  a rat  had  been 
busy  in  the  night,  and  had  gnawed  three  large 
holes  in  the  canopy  over  the  saint’s  altar.  The 
amount  of  mischief  proved  that  the  offender  must 
have  been  a large  one.  He  had  no  trap,  and  could 
devise  no  scheme  of  destruction.  According  to 
the  account  given  by  himself  in  the  Processes,  he 
felt  half  angry,  and,  standing  up  before  the  saint’s 
picture,  thus  gave  expression  to  his  irritated  feel- 
ings : — “ Father  Francis ! people  say  that  you 
passed  from  this  life  in  the  vicinity  of  China;  that 
you  were  a saint;  that  your  body  still  remains 
entire  and  incorrupt  at  Goa.  Now,  here  am  I, 
the  sacristan  of  your  church;  and  I ask,  is  it  con- 
sistent with  your  honor  that  a rat  should  have  the 
audacity  to  gnaw  the  ornaments  of  your  altar?  I 
demand  his  death  at  your  hands.”  The  affair 
ended  just  as  our  good  man  wished;  for  on  open- 
ing the  church-door  the  next  morning  he  found  the 
culprit  stretched  out  at  full  length,  quite  dead;  and, 
in  truth,  it  was  of  enormous  size. 

The  miracle  of  changing  the  nature  of  water,  of 
making  that  serve  as  fuel  to  fire  which  naturally 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  565 

would  have  extinguished  it,  contributed  more  than 
any  thing  else  to  render  the  name  of  Xavier  famous 
among  the  pagans.  Others,  equally  beneficial  to 
another  class  of  persons,  were  of  constant  recur- 
rence. During  the  prolonged  calms  to  which 
sailors  are  occasionally  exposed  at  sea,  fresh  water 
often  failed, — a more  fearful  trial  even  than  the 
storms.  After  the  saint’s  death,  it  became  usual 
on  such  occasions  to  have  recourse  to  his  assist- 
ance,— when  he  never  failed  to  grant  it,  either 
transmuting  salt  water  into  fresh,  or  unexpectedly 
raising  a favorable  breeze,  which  carried  them 
speedily  to  their  place  of  destination,  or  by  driving 
them  to  some  unknown  coast,  where  they  found 
fine  springs  of  fresh  water. 

In  like  manner,  the  fishermen  on  the  coast  of 
Cape  Comorin,  when  they  met  an  unfavorable 
season,  would  cast  their  nets  in  the  name  of  Father 
Francis;  and  then  they  were  rewarded  with  an 
abundant  draught. 

Of  his  assistance  in  storms  at  sea  we  have  innu- 
merable instances  of  miraculous  intervention  : from 
among  many  others,  we  select  the  following.  Cap- 
tain Emanuel  Silva  was  sailing  from  Cochin  to 
Bengal,  with  a great  number  of  passengers  and 
merchants.  They  were  in  high  sea,  when  a furious 
storm  arose,  which  soon  shivered  the  sails,  damaged 
the  masts,  and  completely  disabled  the  ship:  the 
waves  rose  to  such  a height  that,  without  exag- 
geration, they  might  be  called  mountainous : hope 
of  escape  there  was  none.  Merchandise  and  lug- 
gage were  thrown  overboard,  till  little  more  was 
left  than  the  hull  of  the  ship  and  the  bodies  it  con- 
tained : they  were  wholly  at  the  mercy  of  the  wind 
48 


566 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  waves,  a*nd  were  in  momentary  expectation  of 
sinking.  As  they  could  look  for  no  succor  but 
from  heaven,  they  recommended  themselves,  some 
to  one  saint  and  some  to  another, — among  the  rest, 
to  St.  Francis  Xavier.  Wonderful  to  relate,  though 
the  fact  was  attested  by  all  on  board,  a furious 
wave  was  on  the  point  of  overwhelming  the  ship, 
but  as  his  name  was  uttered  the  wave  recoiled,  as 
if  suddenly  bridled  in,  and  rolled  off  in  another 
direction.  At  this  sight  the  poor  dispirited  crew 
took  heart,  and  with  one  accord  called  on  St. 
Francis  Xavier.  That  there  might  be  no  doubt  as 
to  where  the  succor  came  from,  whenever  they 
forgot  or  omitted  to  call  on  him,  the  waves  re- 
sumed their  natural  impetus  and  struck  upon  the 
vessel.  Amidst  this  succession  of  miracles  of  defy- 
ing the  waves  in  his  name,  and  guided  by  his  hand, 
they  passed  through  this  terrific  tempest,  and 
reached  Bengal  without  loss  of  life. 

The  seas  between  China  and  Japan  are  very 
dangerous  to  navigate;  but  the  sailors  made  it  a 
rule,  when  undertaking  that  voyage,  to  fasten  a 
picture  of  St.  Francis  Xavier  to  the  mast ; and 
they  were  invariably  preserved  from  the  whirl- 
winds and  other  perils  peculiar  to  those  parts. 

Francis  Rodriguez,  in  company  with  several 
ships,  was  returning  to  Coolan,  when,  to  avoid 
shoals,  they  stood  out  at  high  sea.  Here  they  en- 
countered heavy  gales,  incessant  rain,  and  other 
inconveniences.  The  other  ships,  being  larger  and 
heavier,  cast  anchor  and  halted ; but  the  vessel  of 
Rodriguez,  unable  to  do  this,  was  driven  into 
shelter,  where,  to  his  extreme  distress,  he  found 
he  should  be  obliged  to  winter,  the  season  being 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  567 

already  too  far  advanced  to  admit  of  farther  pro- 
gress. He  deeply  deplored  the  injury  which  this 
delay  would  occasion  to  his  merchandise;  but, 
after  spending  two  days  in  great  dejection,  he 
remembered  St.  Francis  Xavier,  so  famous  all 
along  that  coast  for  his  miracles.  He  recom- 
mended himself  fervently  to  the  saint, — promising 
that  if  through  his  intercession  he  reached  Coolan 
in  time  to  fulfil  his  engagements,  he  would  in 
gratitude  present  a votive  offering  to  his  church  of 
Kotate, — the  offering  to  consist  of  some  handsome 
draperies  for  the  altar.  The  request  was  no  sooner 
made  than  it  was  granted.  The  storm  subsided,  a 
favorable  breeze  sprung  up,  and  he  reached  Coolan 
without  encountering  any  further  dangers.  The 
other  ships  did  not  make  their  appearance  for 
another  week ; nor  did  they  then  arrive  in  com- 
pany, but  dropped  in  one  by  one  as  wind  and  tide 
permitted. 

Gonzalo  Mendez,  an  Indian  and  a Brahmin  by 
birth,  was  once  in  similar  distress  at  sea.  He 
recommended  himself  earnestly  to  St.  Francis, 
promising  some  handsome  donation  to  the  church 
of  Kotate  in  case  of  deliverance.  He  was  on  the 
point  of  throwing  all  his  merchandise  overboard, 
as  the  only  chance  of  saving  his  ship,  when  Xavier 
appeared  to  him  in  his  sleep,  and  kindly  warned 
him  not  to  do  so,  because  he  would  certainly  reach 
Cochin  in  safety,  as  in  effect  he  did. 

Several  miraculous  apparitions  of  our  holy  apostle 
are  also  recorded,  granted  as  well  for  the  benefit  of 
souls  as  for  the  restoration  of  bodily  health.  We 
give  a few  of  the  more  remarkable  instances.  An 
Irdian  named  John  Fernandez,  a schoolmaster, 


068 


THE  LIFE  OF 


was  leading  a life  of  sin ; but,  for  the  sake  of  his 
reputation,  he  strove  to  do  so  in  secret.  On  one 
occasion  he  hid  himself  in  a church  where  there 
was  a picture  of  St.  Francis  Xavier.  Here  he  in- 
tended to  remain  till  daybreak  and  then  steal  home  , 
again.  He  fell  asleep,  when  the  saint  appeared  to 
him  and  mildly  reproved  him  for  his  wicked  course 
of  life.  On  awaking,  Fernandez  reflected  a little 
upon  the  circumstance,  but  concluded  that  it  was 
nothing  more  than  a dream,  and  therefore  unworthy 
of  notice.  The  same  thing  occurred  the  next  night, 
with  this  difference,  that  the  saint  showed  more 
severity  of  countenance,  and  threatened  him  that 
unless  he  renounced  his  sin  and  returned  to  pen- 
ance he  would  pay  dearly  for  his  obstinacy.  Though 
somewhat  intimidated,  Fernandez  persisted  in 
treating  the  affair  as  a dream.  In  a short  time, 
however,  he  was  taught  wisdom.  A violent  rheu- 
matic affection  seized  him  all  over, — more  especially 
in  his  hands  and  feet,  the  nerves  of  which  were 
contracted,  and  he  suffered  most  excruciating  pain. 
His  limbs  were  utterly  useless  to  him : he  could 
neither  raise  himself  nor  move  without  assistance. 
The  doctors  gave  up  all  hopes  of  his  cure,  having 
exhausted  all  the  resources  of  their  art.  Whilst 
he  was  in  this  deplorable  state,  the  unheeded  vision 
and  threats  of  the  saint  often  recurred  to  his  mind  : 
and,  to  his  cost,  the  threats  were  indeed  realized 
Nothing  now  remained  for  him  but  tears  and  re- 
pentance.  After  suffering  severely  for  six  months, 
finding  he  had  no  longer  any  chance  of  health,  he 
resolved  to  provide  for  the  safety  of  his  soul.  With 
a sincere  heart  did  he  return  to  God,  made  a general 
confession  of  his  whole  life,  accepted  his  infirmity 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  569 

and  death  in  a spirit  of  penance, — acknowledging 
that  he  well  deserved  all  he  suffered,  and  resolving 
that  if  he  ever  recovered  he  would  yet  live  as  if 
each  day  was  to  be  his  last.  Then  the  saint  again 
appeared  to  him  in  his  sleep,  telling  him  that  since 
he  now  recognised  the  true  cause  of  his  illness, 
viz.,  his  sin,  Almighty  God  had  sent  him  there  to 
cure  him,  having  only  afflicted  his  body  to  effect  the 
cure  of  his  soul;  that,  as  he  now  saw  his  error,  he 
might  be  of  good  heart.  Having  said  this,  the 
saint  blessed  him  and  disappeared.  Fernandez 
awoke,  and  found  himself  perfectly  cured. 

Less  useful  to  the  body,  but  more  salutary  to  the 
soul,  was  the  following  apparition  of  our  saint  to 
a lady  of  Malabar,  who  had  been  suffering  from  a 
long  infirmity.  The  Saracens  had  ravaged  her 
native  country,  and  she  was  reduced  to  a state  of 
great  destitution.  Being  deprived  of  all  human 
aid,  she  had  recourse  to  Xavier,  beseeching  him  to 
cure  her.  One  day  he  appeared  to  her,  encouraged 
her  to  wish  for  nothing  but  the  accomplishment  of 
the  will  of  God,  adding,  “It  is  his  good  pleasure, 
and  will  be  to  your  welfare,  that  you  should  soon 
die.  Devote  the  short  remnant  of  your  time  to 
the  care  of  your  soul ; and  it  shall  be  my  care  to 
send  a father  of  the  Society  to  afford  you  the 
necessary  helps  in  your  last  passage.”  At  the 
same  time,  he  inspired  Father  Gonzales  with  the 
idea  of  visiting  and  comforting  the  Christians  on 
the  coast  of  Travancore.  On  arriving  at  the  vil- 
lage where  the  sick  lady  was  lodging,  he  happened 
to  hear  of  her,  and  went  to  see  her.  The  moment 
she  cast  her  eyes  upon  him,  she  well  understood 
the  purport  of  his  visit : with  tears  of  gratitude 

48* 


570 


THE  LIFE  OF 


she  thanked  St.  Francis  Xavier,  gave  Gonzales  an 
account  of  her  vision,  foretold  her  last  hour,  re- 
ceived the  holy  sacraments,  and  then  placidly 
expired. 

In  the  year  1559,  Father  Gaspar  Villela  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  very  important  mission  of  Meaco. 
After  making  the  requisite  preparations,  he  started 
in  September,  and  afterward  wrote  as  follows, 
when  giving  some  details  of  his  journey: — “I 
went  on  board  a ship  without  the  slightest  hope 
of  reaching  land  alive ; the  corsairs  infesting  these 
seas  being  most  ferocious,  and  in  every  sense  of 
the  word  they  are  the  active  emissaries  of  the 
devil.  I own  that  I felt  somewhat  timid  and  de- 
jected: nevertheless,  I applied  myself  to  prayer. 
Whilst  thus  engaged,  it  seemed  to  me  that  I be- 
held Father  Francis  Xavier,  precisely  as  he  used 
to  look  when  alive.  With  a smiling  countenance 
he  promised  to  assist  me.  Hereupon  all  my  cheer- 
fulness returned,  together  with  a strong  hope  of 
reaching  my  appointed  destination.”  The  issue 
showed  that  the  protection  promised  him  from 
Heaven  had  been  no  phantasm  of  the  imagination; 
for,  after  encountering  and  escaping  the  most  un- 
heard-of perils,  Father  Villela  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing Meaco. 

An  Indian  woman  was  brought  to  death’s  door 
by  a lingering  infirmity:  she  had  already  lost 
both  sense  and  speech,  and  every  moment  was  ex- 
pected to  be  her  last.  Her  friends,  who  deeply 
regretted  her  approaching  loss,  incessantly  recom- 
mended her  to  the  holy  father,  who  testified  in  a 
very  extraordinary  manner  that  he  heard  their 
prayers.  He  appeared  to  a certain  pious  woman, 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


571 


and  to  a certain  minister  of  the  church,  in  several 
different  parts  of  the  village,  surrounded  by  troopB 
of  children,  as  he  was  usually  seen  when  alive; 
and  he  seemed  to  them  to  be  walking  anxiously 
and  hurriedly,  as  if  on  important  business.  As  h<$ 
passed  the  two  above  mentioned,  he  told  them  he 
was  going  to  restore  so-and-so  to  health,  naming 
the  dying  woman.  At  that  very  time  the  latter 
seemed  to  awake  as  if  from  a deep  sleep,  when 
she  found  herself  restored  to  perfect  health  and 
strengtn. 

Still  greater  compassion  did  Xavier  show  to  an 
Indian  named  Jambaratecura ; for,  without  being 
asked,  he  restored  his  sight,  which  he  had  lost 
many  years  before.  This  man  had  been  the  trea- 
surer of  the  church  of  the  Holy  Cross  in  Colush. 
Ashe  was  manufacturing  some  artificial  fireworks, 
with  which  he  intended  to  enliven  the  festival  of 
the  Holy  Cross,  a spark  unfortunately  fell  on  a 
parcel  of  gunpowder,  which  exploded  directly  in 
his  face,  burning  him  severely  and  entirely  destroy- 
ing his  sight.  He  remained  in  this  state  for  several 
years,  till  our  holy  apostle,  moved  to  compassion, 
appeared  to  him  in  a dream  and  inquired  whether 
he  wished  for  the  restoration  of  his  eyes.  He 
replied  that,  indeed,  he  wished  it  above  all  things; 
but  who  could  restore  them,  since  nothing  remained 
but  the  sockets  and  lids,  the  orbs  having  long  since 
perished  ? “ Ho  not  trouble  yourself  on  this  score,” 
rejoined  the  saint.  “ Induce  some  one  to  conduct 
you  to  my  church  of  Rotate,  about  six  leagues 
distant : make  your  petition  there,  and  undoubt- 
edly you  will  recover  your  sight.”  At  daybreak 
the  poor  man  set  out,  accompanied  by  one  of  bis 


572 


THE  LIFE  OF 


friends, — praying  to  the  saint  as  he  wen  along, 
and  promising  all  sorts  of  things  if  he  did  but 
obtain  this  great  favor.  This,  however,  was  to 
cost  him  something  more  than  just  kneeling  down 
before  the  picture  of  Kotate,  God  being  pleased 
to  try  his  fortitude  and  increase  the  merit  of  his 
faith.  Nine  days  did  he  persevere  in  prayer  and 
in  hope,  resolved  not  to  quit  the  saint's  feet  till 
he  had  fulfilled  his  promise.  At  last  he  obtained 
it,  and  on  recovering  his  sight  he  found  it  stronger 
and  more  perfect  than  it  had  ever  been  before. 
He  proclaimed  the  miracle  in  verse,  (for  he  was  a 
poet,)  and  by  this  means  it  was  published  through- 
out the  Indies. 

Little  less  than  blind  may  we  style  a Portuguese 
named  John  Fonseca,  who,  led  into  slavery  by  the 
savages,  was  shut  up  in  a dark  dungeon,  where  his 
eyes  could  serve  no  other  purpose  than  that  of 
weeping  over  his  captivity.  Being  tenderly  de- 
voted to  St.  Francis  Xavier,  he  incessantly  besought 
him  to  release  him  either  from  his  dungeon  or  from 
life : by  the  latter  he  should  die  but  once,  whereas, 
as  he  was,  he  lived  but  a lingering  death.  The 
saint  heard  his  prayer,  giving  even  more  than  he 
asked ; for  he  appeared  to  him,  encouraging  him 
with  the  most  consoling  expressions,  and  bidding 
him  have  patience  for  three  more  days, — when, 
contrary  to  all  expectation,  Fonseca  was,  without 
any  apparent  motive,  set  at  liberty. 

Any  thing  but  consolatory  was  the  apparition, 
once,  of  Saint  Francis  to  an  avaricious  Christian, 
a native  of  Meliapore.  This  man  was  the  treasurer 
of  the  church  in  Coolan,  and  shamefully  ventured 
to  raise  money  for  himself  by  pledging  the  bell 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  573 

'xnd  the  drapery  belonging  to  that  altar;  but  the 
saint  soon  came  to  shake  his  conscience,  for  he 
appeared  to  him  in  a dream,  and  with  a very 
severe  countenance  reproached  him  for  what  he 
had  done,  adding,  “ Unless  you  restore  what  be- 
longs to  me,  you  shall  pay  dearly  'for  it.”  The 
man  awoke  in  a fright,  and  saw  the  saint  still 
standing  before  him,  but,  rising  gradually  in  the 
air,  he  soon  disappeared. 

These  are  few  of  the  miracles  wrought,  as  we 
may  say,  by  Xavier  in  person;  but  it  would  be 
impossible  to  enumerate  those  effected  by  means 
of  things  which  had  once  belonged  to  him  or  which 
were  consecrated  to  him.  The  earth  of  Sancian 
which  had  covered  his  remains,  his  habit  and 
sacerdotal  vestments,  his  autographs,  the  oil  of  the 
lamps  burning  before  his  pictures,  the  measure- 
ment of  his  tomb  at  Goa,  his  breviary,  the  beads 
of  his  rosary,  all  were  means  of  miraculous  cures, 
as  we  see  in  the  Processes.  The  crosses  which  he 
had  erected  in  the  public  thoroughfares  and  on  the 
sea-beach  became  trophies  of  his  glory;  for  they 
were  laden  with  votive  offerings  brought  by  Chris- 
tians, Mohammedans,  and  idolaters  in  gratitude 
for  favors  due  to  his  intercession.  The  most 
famous  of  all  was  at  Kotate,  the  value  of  which 
was  first  discovered  at  the  funeral  of  one  of  the 
natives,  a Christian  by  profession,  but  worse  than 
a pagan  in  heart : in  presence  of  all  the  specta- 
tors, this  cross  sweat  blood  so  copiously  that  five 
streams  ran  down  the  trunk  of  it.  In  awful 
astonishment  at  the  sight,  people  strove  to  trace 
the  effect  to  its  cause ; and  on  inquiry  it  was  ascer- 
oiined  that  the  unfortunate  deceased  had  led  a 


574 


THE  LIFE  OF 


very  wicked  life,  having  been  addicted  to  witch 
craft  and  sorcery.  Having  thus  sold  herself  to  tha 
devil,  and  having  died  without  the  least  sign  of 
repentance,  her  body  was  thrown  out  to  the  dogs. 
From  thenceforward  the  saint  continued  to  work 
many  miracles  in  favor  of  his  clients  by  means  of 
this  very  cross.  By  merely  kissing  it  with  devo- 
tion, a blind  man  recovered  his  sight  and  a para- 
lytic his  limbs : this  latter  lost  his  speech,  as  well 
as  the  use  of  one  side;  the  best  medical  aid  proved 
unavailing:  so,  having  nothing  to  hope  for  from 
human  means,  he  turned  himself  to  his  holy  Father 
Francis,  to  whom  he  had  a great  devotion.  Hear 
ing  of  the  miracles  of  the  cross  of  Kotate,  he  sent 
to  Father  Toscan,  rector  of  the  college  at  Cochin 
who  possessed  a small  fragment  of  stone  broken 
from  this  cross,  beseeching  him  to  let  him  have  it. 
On  receiving  it,  he  dipped  it  in  some  water,  re- 
citing a Pater  and  Ave  as  best  he  could  in  honor  of 
the  saint:  he  then  drank  a little  of  the  water, 
made  the  sign  of  the  cross  with  it  on  his  tongue, 
when  he  found  he  could  speak  as  fluently  as  ever 
he  did  in  his  life : thus  encouraged,  he  bathed  his 
neck,  arm,  and,  in  fine,  the  whole  of  the  diseased 
side,  with  the  water;  and  as  the  water  touched 
each  limb,  so  did  it  recover  life  and  warmth.  In 
a word,  he  was  restored  to  perfect  health  and 
vigor. 

Still  more  remarkable  were  the  miracles  wrought 
by  the  saint  in  the  city  of  Cochin  by  means  of  a 
medal,  which  had  his  effigy  stamped  on  one  side 
of  it,  and  the  Madonna  and  child  on  the  other.  It 
belonged  to  Lucy  di  Yalangan,  a Chinese  widow, 
who  had  been  converted  and  instructed  by  Xavier 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAYIER. 


575 


himself : she  had  reached  the  great  age  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty,  when  she  was  juridically 
examined  on  the  Processes : she  declared  that  the 
most  inveterate  complaints  and  most  irremediably- 
distorted  limbs  had  equally  been  cured  the  instant 
she  applied  this  medal  to  the  part  affected,  or 
sprinkled  them  with  water  in  which  it  had  been 
immersed,  adding  at  the  same  moment  no  other 
form  of  prayer  than  this: — “May  thy  health  be 
restored,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  and  of 
Father  Francis  Xavier/’  One  of  the  eye-witnesses 
thus  speaks : — “ I have  seen  many  malformed  heads, 
arms,  and  feet  corrected;  consumptive  patients 
saved,  though  reduced  to  skin  and  bone;  putrid 
wounds  and  other  sores  cured  the  instant  that  the 
medal  was  applied.  I saw  a child  prematurely 
born,  which  was  either  dead,  or  at  least  without 
sign  of  life,  and  another  which  had  fallen  out  of 
the  nurse’s  arms  and  was  actually  at  the  last  gasp, 
touched  by  Lucy  with  the  medal,  who  at  the 
same  time  recited  the  usual  invocation, — when 
both  were  instantaneously  restored  to  life  and 
health.  A lady,  blind  for  many  years,  a mute,  a 
deaf  man,  another  who  had  been  paralyzed  for 
fifteen  months,  when  blessed  with  the  medal,  or 
sprinkled  with  water  in  which  it  had  been  cast,, 
all  immediately  recovered  their  lost  faculties.’' 
We  have  merely  hinted  at  the  foregoing,  prefer- 
ring to  give  more  ample  details  of  the  three  follow- 
ing, because  noticed  by  the  sovereign  Pontiff  in 
the  bull  of  the  saint’s  canonization. 

A deep  imposthume  was  formed  in  the  left  side, 
near  the  region  of  the  heart,  in  a man  named  Gon- 
z*>lo  Rodriguez.  Its  dangerous  position  deterred 


o76 


THE  LIFE  OF 


*he  surgeons  from  making  any  deep  incisions,  or 
from  applj’ing  hot  iron  : their  only  resource  was 
to  dry  up  the  humors,  if  possible,  though  with 
this  there  was  danger  of  gangrene.  The  poor 
man  underwent  most  excruciating  pain,  with  little 
or  no  prospect  of  relief;  but,  as  Almighty  bod  in- 
tended his  cure,  He  contrived  that  he  should,  by 
some  chance  or  other,  hear  of  the  miracles  effected 
Oy  Lucy’s  medal : hereupon  he  repaired  to  her 
house,  th~ew  himself  on  his  knoes  at  her  feet,  and 
gave  her  an  account  of  his  deplorable  condition. 
She  thrice  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  with  the 
meaal  on  his  breast,  saying,  “In  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  of  Father  Francis  Xavier,  mayst 
thou  be  cured  !”  At  that  instant  the  wound  and 
all  its  unpleasant  effects  entirely  disappeared. 

The  second  miracle  occurred  in  the  person  of 
Mary  Diaz,  whose  right  side,  and  more  especially 
the  arm,  was  paralyzed  : in  addition  to  this,  she 
was  stone  blind ; nor  had  she  any  hope  of  cure  ex- 
cept by  miracle;  and  a miracle  cured  her.  She 
requested  to  be  carried  to  the  good  Chinese,  who, 
in  her  usual  way,  blessed  sc#ne  water  with  the 
medal,  desiring  the  invalid  to  sprinkle  and  make 
the  sign  of  the  cross  with  it  on  the  affected  parts 
seven  times  a day : she  did  so,  and  regained  the 
use  of  her  eyes  and  limbs  so  perfectly  that  she 
was  able  to  walk,  without  guide  or  assistance,  to 
the  church  belonging  to  the  Society,  where,  in 
sign  of  her  liberation,  she  suspended  the  crutches 
she  had  been  accustomed  to  use. 

Finally,  Emanuel  Figheredo  experienced  the 
miraculous  power  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  in  a case 
where  human  aid  was  utterly  unavailing.  For 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER 


577 


lome  years  both  his  legs  had  been  in  a state 
putrefaction,  breeding  worms  and  corruption,  and 
occasioning  such  intense  pain  that,  unable  to  stand, 
he  was  obliged  to  crawl  about  on  his  hands  and 
knees.  The  doctors  used  every  endeavor  to  dry 
up  these  humors,  but  to  no  purpose : by  degrees 
the  nerves  of  one  leg  contracted,  so  that  it  became 
materially  shorter  than  the  other.  In  addition  to 
all  this,  he  was  seized  with  violent  dysentery, 
which,  in  his  debilitated  state,  and  at  his  age,  (for 
he  had  reached  his  seventieth  year,)  was  con- 
sidered a desperate  symptom,  and  all  hope  of 
saving  him  was  lost;  but  Heaven  placed  him  in 
the  hands  of  St.  Francis  Xavier.  The  Chinese 
^ave  him  some  of  the  blessed  water  to  drink, 
vhen  the  old  wound  and  the  new  complaint  both 
simultaneously  disappeared. 

A picture  of  the  saint,  copied  from  that  of 
Rotate,  was  brought  to  Cochin  by  Gaspar  Gon- 
zales. He  had  landed  at  about  ten  o’clock  at 
night,  and  in  an  hour  afterward  the  house  adjoin- 
ing his  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire.  The  season 
being  dry,  the  wind  fresh,  and  the  house  built 
chiefly  of  wood,  the  flames  spread  rapidly : great 
was  the  confusion,  the  neighbors  endeavoring  to 
secure  their  own  property  by  hasty  removal  to 
more  distant  quarters,  and  so  forth.  In  the  height 
©f  the  commotion,  Gonzales  recollected  the  picture 
he  had  brought  with  him:  drawing  it  from  its 
case,  ho  held  it  up  directly  opposite  the  burning 
building,  and,  kneeling  before  it,  together  with  all 
his  family,  he  and  they  loudly  invoked  the  aid  of 
Father  Francis.  At  the  moment  he  was  praying, 
flames  were  bursting  througt  the  windows  and 
2 M 49 


THE  LIFE  OF 


t>7S 

roof  of  the  house;  but  as  he  concluded  his  invo- 
cation, the  flames  retired  within  the  walls,  and  the 
fire  was  suddenly  extinguished. 

More  powerful  in  miracles  than  his  picture  proved 
the  tomb  of  our  glorious  apostle, — miracles  which 
might  be  counted  by  the  hundred;  but,  not  to  weary 
the  reader,  we  select  one  of  the  most  memorable. 
A child  was  born  at  Goa,  whose  legs  were  no  thicker 
than  a common  thumb, — nothing  more,  in  fact,  than 
a small  bone  covered  with  skin.  Age  brought  no 
improvement  in  this  respect;  so  that  when  the 
child,  according  to  the  ordinary  laws  of  nature, 
ought  to  have  been  able  to  walk,  he  could  only 
crawl  abofit  on  all-fours,  like  an  animal.  A pious 
and  noble  lady,  named  Jane  Fonseca,  undertook 
cnantably  to  provide  for  the  helpless  boy,  but 
could  never  see  him  dragging  himself  along  with- 
out being  deeply  moved.  For  five  years  did  she 
persevere  in  procuring  the  best  surgical  skill  for 
her  poor  protege;  when  God  was  pleased  to  reward 
her  tender  charity,  by  suggesting  to  her  mind  that 
there  was  one  at  least  who  could  cure  him,  and 
that  one  was  the  holy  Father  Francis  Xavier 
To  him  then  did  she  earnestly  appeal,  beseeching 
him  to  add  to  the  many  incomparable  miracles  of 
his  charity  that  of  bestowing  on  an  innocent  child 
the  common  functionary  powers  of  life.  She 
pledged  herself  to  carry  him  for  nine  successive 
days  to  his  tomb,  and  made  her  first  visit  on  the 
very  day  she  made  the  promise.  On  the  third  day, 
as  she  held  the  child  in  her  arms  before  the  tomb, 
he  felt  a thrilling  sensation  run  through  his  knees 
and  legs,  and  he  asked  her  to  put  him  on  the  ground, 
that  he  might  try  to  stand.  This  was  done,— 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


579 


when  he  stood  up  quite  erect,  for  the  first  time  in 
his  life  : his  legs,  which  had  hitherto  been  shrivelled 
and  useless,  were  found  now  to  be  duly  propor- 
tioned. The  lady  continued  her  daily  visits  to  the 
tomb,  each  day  improving  the  healthy  condition  of 
the  little  boy.  In  a word,  the  miracle  was  com- 
plete. 

We  have  still  to  narrate  instances  of  the  dead 
being  restored  to  life  after  the  period  of  his  own 
decease ; but  first  of  all  we  must  notice  a few  cases 
where  the  persons,  according  to  nature,  would  not 
have  been  born.  Many  motherless  wives  owed  th* 
blessing  of  maternity  to  his  powerful  intercession 
the  before-mentioned  church  of  Kotate  abounded 
in  votive  offerings  presented  by  gratified  mothers, 
many  of  whom  conferred  his  name  on  their  chil- 
dren at  their  baptism.  One  of  these  mothers  was 
indebted  to  him  twice  for  the  life  of  the  same  infant, 
It  had  been  granted  to  his  prayers,  and  great  was 
her  delight,  though  but  of  short  duration ; for  at 
the  end  of  two  months  the  child  fell  ill,  and  soon 
afterward  died.  In  a state  of  desperation,  she 
seized  the  lifeless  body  of  her  infant  and  flew  with 
it  to  the  church  of  the  saint,  where,  kneeling  down 
before  his  picture,  and  weeping  bitterly,  she  ad- 
dressed him  more  in  reproach  than  in  prayer: — 
u Where  could  be  your  compassion  in  granting  mo 
(after  many  years  of  disappointed  hope)  a son,  if 
you  intended  to  deprive  me  of  him  at  the  expira- 
tion of  two  months  ? Is  this  the  sort  of  favor  you 
confer  on  those  who  trust  to  you  ? on  those  who 
invoke  you,  and  who  cast  themselves  at  your  feet? 
Better  would  it  be  not  to  listen  to  our  prayers  than 
grant  them  only  as  fresh  subjects  of  affliction  M 


THE  LIFE  OF 


*»80 

Thus  did  her  distracted  grief  impel  her  to  speak 
With  outstretched  arms  she  held  the  child  up 
toward  the  saint,  as  if  she  would  return  it  to  him 
dead  unless  he  would  restore  it  to  her  ali^e.  Xa- 
vier looked  down  on  her  from  heaven,  restoring 
life  to  the  infant  and  the  infant  to  its  mother. 
Wild  with  delight,  she  exultingly  proclaimed  the 
miracle,  showing  her  restored  child  in  confirmation 
of  the  truth  of  it. 

Maria  Miranda,  a married  lady  of  Manapar,  gave 
birth  to  a dead  child,  which  wTas  a source  of  double 
grief  to  her.  A pious  relative  who  was  with  her 
at  the  time,  compassionating  her  affliction,  took  the 
child  up  in  her  arms,  and,  raising  her  tearful  eyes 
to  heaven,  prayed  thus  aloud: — “O  holy  father 
Xavier!  thou  who  in  this  our  country  of  Manapar 
didst  undergo  so  much  to  win  souls  to  heaven,  I 
know  that  if  thou  wert  alive  and  present  here  thou 
wouldst  have  pity  on  this  poor  object : how  much 
more  easily  canst  thou  do  so  now  that  thou  art 
with  God!  for  in  him  thou  canst  do  all  things. 
For  the  salvation  of  this  soul,  restore  it  to  its  body; 
and,  in  grateful  memory  of  such  a favor,  we  pro- 
mise to  call  the  infant  Francis.”  Scarcely  had  she 
finished  her  praj^er  when  the  babe  oj>ened  its  little 
eyes:  it  was,  in  fact,  restored  to  life,  and,  we  need 
scarcely  add,  received  the  name  of  Francis  at  the 
sacred  font. 

Still  more  wonderful  was  the  resuscitation  of  the 
son  of  Thomas  Croci,  a worthy  citizen  of  Mana- 
corim,  on  the  coast  of  Travancore.  The  very  day 
the  child  was  baptized,  which  was  not  till  a month 
after  its  birth,  it  was  seized  with  vomiting  and 
dysentery,  which  soon  occasioned  its  death.  Ae 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


581 


they  were  preparing  it  for  burial,  one  of  the  friends, 
compassionating  the  violent  affliction  of  the  father, 
endeavored  to  comfort,  and  advised  him  to  have 
recourse  to  the  saint  of  Kotate,  who,  having  favored 
so  many  others,  could  equally  favor  him  by  restor- 
ing his  child  to  life,  adding,  “ Would  he  who  listens 
to  the  prayers  of  the  pagans  turn  a deaf  ear  to  the 
prayers  of  a Christian  ? Have  confidence  in  him, 
and  ask  St.  Francis  to  grant  your  petition : it  does 
not  cost  him  much  to  revive  the  dead.”  Hereupon 
Thomas  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  with  tears 
rather  than  words  invoked  the  name  of  Xavier  and 
implored  his  aid,  promising  that  if  his  prayer  were 
heard  he  would  offer  a large  sum  of  money  in  alms 
to  the  church  of  Kotate ; promising,  moreover,  that 
the  child  should  thenceforward  be  called  Francis. 
Having  made  this  promise,  he  turned  toward  the 
babe,  when  it  appeared  to  him  to  open  its  eyes. 
Nor  was  he  mistaken ; for,  on  a closer  inspection, 
he  found  the  child  not  only  alive,  but  in  perfect 
health.  The  miracle  did  not  end  here : three  times 
in  as  many  years  was  this  infant  reduced  by  some 
malady  or  other  to  death’s  door : the  good  father 
made  new  promises,  and  again  recommended  him 
to  Xavier,  whom  on  each  occasion  he  saw,  in  his 
dreams,  on  his  knees  before  God,  praying  for  the 
health  of  the  child;  and  the  next  morning  he  was 
sure  to  find  him  cured. 

The  following  miracle  deserves  recording.  Bene- 
dict Coglio  was  sailing  from  Malacca  toward  China, 
and  had  so  rough  a voyage  that  six  or  seven  of  the 
passengers  fell  dangerously  ill.  On  their  arrival  at 
Sancian  tho  Invalids  were  immediately  carried 
the  little  field  where  the  precious  body  of  the  holr 
49* 


582 


THE  LIFE  OF 


father  had  been  deposited  : here  they  all  knelt 
down,  and  with  lively  faith  sprinkled  some  of  the 
earth  upon  their  heads.  Nothing  more  was  needed  •. 
every  one  of  them  was  perfectly  cured. 

It  has  been  our  object  only  to  select  the  miracles 
related  in  the  Processes,  and  the  miracles  which 
occurred  in  India.  They  are  all  remarkable;  and 
the  reader  will  observe  that  there  is  scarcely  any 
species  of  calamity  in  which  our  saint  has  not 
signalized  his  charity  in  behalf  of  his  faithful 
clients.  Fever-patients,  the  blind,  the  dumb,  the 
deaf,  the  paralyzed,  the  leprous,  the  poisoned,  the 
wounded,  all  restored  to  health  in  a moment  by 
merely  invoking  their  protector.  With  still  greater 
astonishment  do  we  see  the  dead  of  either  sex,  and 
of  all  ages,  restored  to  life.  Not  only  was  the 
compassion  of  the  saint  excited  when  the  suffer- 
ings of  his  fellow-creatures  were  in  question  : ir- 
rational beings- even  shared  it.  This  remark  recalls 
to  our  mind  many  interesting  incidents  which  oc- 
curred in  Calabria,  but  on  which  we  shall  merely 
cast  a glance,  in  order  that  we  may  not  swerve 
from  our  original  design  of  confining  ourselves 
chiefly  to  the  miracles  wrought  by  our  saint  in  the 
Indies:  his  pious  clients  will  no  doubt  willingly 
pardon  this  slight  digression.  In  the  year  1651, 
two  fathers  of  the  Society  traversing  Upper  Cala- 
bria repaired  to  Potami,  a small  territory  in  the 
Marquisate  of  Arena : here  they  recommended 
devotion  to  St.  Francis  Xavier,  and  left  a small 
portrait  of  him.  No  sooner  was  it  exposed  in  the 
church  of  Our  Lady  of  Favors  than  the  people 
began  to  invoke  him  with  great  confidence ; and  he 
began  to  reward  their  confidence  with  a succession 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  588 

of  miracles,  as  many  as  forty-two  occurring  within 
the  space  of  eighteen  months.  There  is  a peculiar 
grace  and  condescension  about  many  of  these  mira- 
cles, strikingly  illustrative  both  of  the  kindly  dis- 
position of  the  benefactor  and  of  the  genuine  sim- 
plicity and  trustfulness  of  the  favored  recipients. 

At  the  prayers  of  a devout  female,  he  arrested 
an  epidemic  which  was  destroying  all  her  silk- 
worms. We  read  of  several  instances  of  cattle, 
chiefly  laboring  bullocks,  quite  cured  by  his  inter- 
cession ; others,  too  furious  to  be  serviceable,  were 
in  like  manner  instantaneously  tamed.  A certain 
youth,  driven  to  desperation  by  grief  at  the  near 
prospect  of  his  mother’s  death,  vented  his  frenzy 
upon  an  unoffending  calf  which  happened  to  come 
in  his  way : he  struck  it  mortally  in  the  side  with 
a hatchet.  Horrified  at  his  own  act,  he  had  im- 
mediate recourse  to  the  saint,  beseeching  a remedy 
to  his  mischief.  He  obtained  it;  for  the  next  morn- 
ing he  found  not  only  the  animal  cured,  but  his 
own  mother  restored  to  perfect  health. 

He  once  appeared  in  person  to  a poor  shepherd 
whose  flock  had  strayed,  and  directed  him  where 
to  find  them.  Still  more  condescending  was  he  to 
a poor  girl  in  desolation  at  the  loss  of  all  her  hair 
by  sickness.  With  childlike  simplicity  she  repre- 
sented her  distress  to  him,  and  the  next  morning 
awoke  with  a full  head  of  hair. 

A dreadful  storm  threatened  to  devastate  a small 
field,  the  sole  fortune  of  a poor  family.  The  father 
addressed  one  short  prayer  to  our  saint, — when  in 
an  instant  not  a shadow  of  the  storm  remained 
On  the  other  hand,  in  an  obstinate  drought,  a smal. 
landholder  recommended  his  fields  to  the  saint.-— 


584 


THE  LIFE  OF 


when  immediately  a copious  rain  fell  upon  them. 
Another  perceived  with  dismay  that  his  coin-field 
was  so  bare  that  there  was  no  chance  of  its  pro- 
duce enabling  him  to  provide  for  the  necessities  of 
his  family.  He  contemplated  flight  as  the  only 
means  of  escaping  imprisonment  for  debt,  but  first 
would  have  recourse  to  the  holy  father.  As  he 
gazed  despairingly  on  the  thinly-scattered  ears  of 
corn  in  his  field,  he  besought  his  patron  to  increase 
the  crop  so  far  as  to  afford  him  twenty-two  measures 
of  corn:  that  was  all  he  needed,  and  that  was  just 
what  the  land  would  produce  in  an  abundant  season. 
He  obtained  precisely  what  he  asked.  Having 
gathered  in  and  measured  his  crop,  to  his  astonish- 
ment and  delight,  it  exactly  reached  the  twenty-two 
measures  he  had  prayed  for. 

If  any  one  should  curiously  inquire  how  it  is 
that  miracles  are  no  longer  wrought  by  means  of 
this  famous  picture  of  Potami,  I can  only  account 
for  the  fact  by  relating  the  information  given  to  a 
father  of  the  Society  by  a marchioness  of  Arena, 
the  owner  of  the  territory,  to  the  effect  that, 
whilst  this  succession  of  miracles  was  at  its  height, 
serious  discords  arose  with  regard  to  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  Church,  for  the  sake  of  the  paltry 
interest  of  the  presents  which  were  offered  to  the 
picture,  or  rather  the  chapel  in  which  it  was  ex- 
oosed.  The  saint  soon  found  means  of  appeasing 
the  dissensions;  for  from  that  time  the  miracles 
have  entirety  ceased, — as  if  to  show  that  his 
benevolence  should  be  no  source  of  discord,  nor  be 
made  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  avarice. 

It  remains  for  us  now  to  show  how  Xavier  be- 
came himself  a miracle,  having  sufficiently  demon* 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  585 

strated  that  God  rendered  him  miraculous  for  the 
benefit  of  others,  and  for  the  promotion  of  his  own 
greater  glory;  and  this  will  be  done  by  describing 
his  virtues,  in  comparison  with  which  all  his  super- 
natural works  cease  to  be  wonderful,  at  least  in 
the  estimation  of  those  who  understand  the  true 
value  of  things. 

Much  that  we  read  of  this  man  of  God  is  un- 
questionably very  wonderful : so  many  dead  resus- 
citated; so  many  tempests  appeased;  salt  water 
rendered  fresh ; future  events  foretold ; distant 
events  witnessed;  unknown  languages  infused; 
present  in  two  places  at  one  and  the  same  time; 
whole  armies  put  to  flight  by  a word  : these  and 
other  similar  things  may  well  awaken  our  profound 
admiration.  But  those  who  should  find  nothing 
deserving  of  still  greater  admiration  in  Saint 
Francis  Xavier  than  these  things  would,  in  my 
opinion,  be  no  wiser  than  Holophornes,  whose  eyes 
and  heart  were  captivated  by  the  shoes  of  Judith 
rather  than  by  the  impressive  beauty  of  her  features. 
These  miraculous  prerogatives  were  indeed  great 
in  Xavier;  but  they  were  no  more  necessary  to  his 
greatness  than  stilts  are  necessary  to  a giant. 

None  but  a master-hand  should  venture  to  de- 
lineate the  beauty  and  describe  the  combination 
of  virtues  which  formed  the  sanctity  of  Francis 
Xavier, — a sanctity  copied  from  a divine  original, 
our  Lord  himself:  to  me,  then,  the  task  is  almost 
as  difficult  as  if  I undertook  to  paint  a soul,  or  to 
render  palpable  that  which  is  immaterial  and  in- 
visible. True,  science  has  its  rules,  by  means  of 
which  an  artist  may,  from  the  print  of  a foot, 
talculate  the  dimensions  of  the  whole  figure;  but 


586 


THE  LIFE  OF 


we  have  not  the  advantage  even  of  so  safe  a guide 
as  this  for  our  sketch  of  Xavier’s  sanctity.  During 
the  ten  years  and  a half  that  he  traversed  vast 
kingdoms  in  the  East,  the  majority  of  his  heroic 
acts  of  virtue  were  performed  amidst  barbarous 
people,  unable  to  appreciate  them,  and  still  less 
likety  to  preserve  the  memory  of  them.  Those  of 
the  Society  with  whom  he  occasionally  sojourned 
for  brief  intervals  seem,  as  it  were,  only  to  express 
astonishment  in  little  else  than  general  terras, 
telling  us  that  so  many  and  such  great  things 
might  be  said  of  him  that,  rather  than  lessen  them 
by  attempting  to  describe  them,  they  prefer  pass- 
ing them  over  in  respectful  silence;  that  they 
deemed  themselves  fortunate  who  could  gain  ad- 
mission to  his  chamber  even  for  a few  minutes, 
because  the  mere  sight  of  him  aroused  the  heart 
and  inflamed  the  soul  more  than  the  longest  medi- 
tation. This,  though  important,  is  but  meagre 
information,  more  especially  when  we  connect 
with  it  the  habitual  caution  of  the  saint’s  humility 
in  concealing  from  every  eye  the  treasures  of  grace 
conferred  on  him  by  Heaven. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  disadvantages,  we 
6hall  use  our  best  endeavors  to  give  an  idea  of  his 
apostolic  virtues,  beginning  with  his  charity  or 
love  of  God,  the  sum  of  sanctity,  the  root  which 
nourishes  and  on  which  all  other  virtues  flourish. 
We  shall  show  the  high  degree  of  perfection  in 
this  virtue  to  which  Xavier  attained,  both  with 
regard  to  its  inward  effects  and  its  outward  ope- 
rations. As  for  the  former,  his  soul  was  inflamed 
with  such  vehement  love  and  affection  for  God  as 
to  betray  itseli'  upon  the  body ; for,  to  use  the 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


587 


express  words  of  the  supreme  Pontiff,  “he  was 
seen  with  a countenance  so  inflamed  as  to  re- 
present most  fully  the  charity  of  the  angelic  spi- 
rits;” whilst  the  furnace  of  his  heart  burned  so 
intensely  that,  to  moderate  its  ardor,  he  was 
often  obliged  to  apply  cold  water  to  his  breast,  or 
else  to  plunge  entirely  into  some  bath.  As  he 
walked  along  the  public  streets,  with  his  eyes  fixed 
on  heaven  and  his  heart  on  God,  the  flames  which 
burned  within  him  frequently  became  so  into- 
lerable that  he  was  obliged  to  throw  open  his  vest 
to  cool  his  throbbing  heart.  We  have  already  de- 
scribed his  painful  journey  from  Amanguki  to 
Meaco,  when  his  feet  were  lacerated  by  thorns 
and  stones,  which  were  sprinkled  with  his  blood, 
and  yet  his  soul  was  so  immersed  in  God  that  he 
seemed  unconscious  of  the  sufferings  of  his  body. 

The  reader  will  remember  many  instances  of  a 
similar  nature  recorded  in  this  work.  These  loving 
alienations  of  mind,  these  ecstasies  of  charity,  were 
so  continual  that,  when  celebrating  holy  mass,  or 
making  his  act  of  thanksgiving  after  it,  he  was 
usually  so  absorbed  as  to  be  unconscious  of  what 
passed  around  him.  In  vain  was  he  pulled  or 
shaken  : nothing  could  divert  his  attention  from 
the  loved  object  which  then  engrossed  his  mind 
and  heart.  Still  more  powerful  were  those  attrac- 
tions of  love  which,  together  with  his  soul,  raised 
his  body  and  held  it  suspended  in  the  air,  his  face, 
and  sometimes  his  whole  figure,  being  environed 
with  bright  rays  of  light,  whien  gave  him  the  ap- 
pearance of  a seraph  rather  than  of  a mortal  man. 
We  learn  from  the  testimony  of  eye-witnesses 
that  he  was  often  seen  raised  a cubit  from  the 


588 


THE  LITE  Oi 


ground.  Thomas  Fernandez,  wIk  watched  him 
through  the  crevices  of  the  door  in  the  middle  of 
the  night,  saw  him  thus.  Others  seeking  him  in 
the  gardens,  or  in  the  woods,  whither  he  had  re- 
tired to  pray,  found  him  raised  in  the  air.  Others 
who  served  his  mass  tell  us  that  generally  at  the  ele- 
vation, or  the  communion,  he  fell  into  ecstasy  and 
was  raised  from  the  ground.  Others,  when  con- 
versing with  him  on  the  things  of  God,  have  been 
startled  by  seeing  him  suddenly  raised  up  aloft. 
At  Goa  these  elevations  became  quite  notorious, 
especially  when  giving  communion  to  the  people, 
— a function  which,  from  respect  and  humility,  he 
performed  on  his  knees  One  remarkable  instance 
of  this  nature  has  been  already  recorded. 

We  could  but  ill  describe  the  delight  of  his  soul 
on  these  occasions.  Surely,  if  there  be  on  earth 
a foretaste  of  heavenly  beatitude,  it  must  be  when 
the  soul,  from  excess  of  love,  is  thus  closely  united 
with  her  God, — when,  absorbed,  and  as  it  were 
plunged,  in  the  ocean  of  his  infinite  goodness,  she 
becomes  utterly  lost  to  self  and  sensible  things. 
Then  years  flee  like  moments,  and  the  whole  world 
disappears  like  an  atom  in  presence  of  the  sublime 
objects  which  then  entirely  occupy  her ; as  if  the 
soul  were  absent,  the  body  remains  without  actu- 
ality. All  these  effects  appeared  in  St.  Francis 
Xavier.  Another  singular  privilege  in  him  was 
that  of  remaining  not  only  undismayed,  but  even 
overflowing  with  delight,  in  the  midst  of  the  most 
appalling  dangers.  In  the  isle  of  Moro,  where  he 
had  scarcely  sufficient  sustenance  to  maintain  life, 
and  where  he  was  momentarily  exposed  to  death, 
either  by  poison  or  some  other  treacherous  mea- 


SAINT  FRAN  CT  R YAVTirw 


189 


sure,  his  heart  nevertheless  swam  in  delights,  oc- 
casioned by  his  love  of  and  his  union  with  God, 
insomuch  that  had  this  excess  continued  much 
longer  he  must  have  died  of  very  joy.  In  a word, 
the  sweetness  which  God  and  his  charity  infused 
into  the  soul  of  Xavier  was  commensurate  with 
its  capacity,  or  rather  more;  for  he  was  sometimes 
compelled  to  entreat  our  Lord  to  withhold  his 
favors,  as  was  the  case  in  the  college-garden  at 
Goa,  when  he  was  heard  to  cry  out  to  God,  in  the 
exuberance  of  his  delight,  “No  more,  O Lord, 
no  more !”  at  the  same  time  opening  the  front 
of  his  habit  to  refresh  and  cool  his  burning 
breast. 

Considering  the  incessant  toil  and  occupation  in 
-which  our  saint  was  engaged,  the  reader  may  be 
tempted  to  suppose  that  but  little  time  remained 
to  him  for  purposes  of  prayer  and  interior  recollec- 
tion. Indeed,  he  himself  writes  from  the  Fishery 
Coast  that  the  children  were  so  eager  for  instruc- 
tion that  they  left  him  no  peace,  night  or  day, 
and  that  he  could  with  difficulty  steal  a few  hours 
for  the  recital  of  the  Divine  Office  and  for  neces- 
sary rest.  In  the  same  manner,  whilst  he  was  in 
Japan,  the  bonzes  and  others  scarcely  left  him 
free  for  a moment.  Notwithstanding  this,  no  day 
passed  in  which  he  did  not  afford  his  soul  its 
nourishment  of  several  hours’  prayer.  It  may 
truly  be  said  of  him  that  throughout  the  day  he 
was  an  apostle,  and  an  anchorite  throughout  the 
night.  Two,  or  at  the  most  three,  hours  of  sleep 
was  all  the  rest  that  he  allowed  himself:  whaL 
ever  else  remained  was  given  to  God  During  his 
sea-voyages  he  invariably  began  his  prayer  at  mid- 


>90 


THE  LIFE  OF 


night  and  continued  it  till  sunrise.  The  sailors 
were  so  well  aware  of  this  that  they  used  to  say 
the  ship  was  quite  safe  during  those  hours,  because 
Father  Francis  was  then  its  guard  and  guide. 

Whilst  he  was  at  Meliapore,  after  a short  re- 
pose, i f.  was  his  practice  to  rise  and  repair  privately 
to  the  church,  and  there  spend  the  night  in  prayer 
before  a famous  image  of  our  Blessed  Lady : nor 
was  he  to  be  deterred  by  the  assaults  of  the 
devils  who  visibly  assailed  and  tormented  him. 

At  Manapar  his  host  watched  him  during  the 
night,  and  always  saw  him  on  his  knees  before  a 
crucifix,  his  face  and  eyes  shining  resplendently. 

When  he  was  at  Goa,  the  church  was  his  usual 
place  of  repose : he  allowed  his  body  a short  sleep 
and  his  soul  a long  contemplation.  At  Malacca, 
the  sacristy  was  his  chamber;  a mat  was  his  bed, 
on  which  he  rested  for  three  hours;  then,  with- 
drawing to  the  church,  he  spent  the  rest  of  the 
time  on  his  knees  before  the  blessed  Sacrament, 
or  before  a picture  of  the  glorious  Queen  of 
Heaven:  sometimes,  overcome  by  recent  fatigue, 
he  fell  exhausted,  and  would  doze  with  his  head 
resting  on  the  altar-step. 

It  was  his  custom  to  say  mass  at  dawn  of  day : 
the  time  occupied  in  this  holy  function  could  not 
be  restricted  to  any  formal  measure;  for  then  his 
heart  was  no  longer  in  his  own  power:  it  was  in 
the  hand  of  God,  who  took  it  away  and  restored  i 
it,  sooner  or  later,  according  to  his  good  pleasure, 
but  always  so  full  of  the  sweets  of  paradise  as  to  \ 
overflow,  and  as  it  were  extend  to  him  who  served  t 
him  at  the  altar.  Anthony  Andrada,  a young 
* tidier  tells  us  that  Xavier  once  asked  him  to 

I 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER  '591 

serve  his  mass,  during  'which  he  enjoyed  such  in 
expressible  delight — a species  of  delight  so  wholly 
new  to  him — that  afterward  he  used  to  go  of  his 
own  accord  and  offer  fj  serve  him  in  this  solemn 
function. 

Those  who  were  familiarly  acquainted  with  him 
testify  that,  on  returning  from  his  most  laborious 
tnd  trying  duties,  the  moment  he  applied  himself 
to  prayer  his  whole  soul  was  absorbed  in  God : 
even  his  exterior  occupations  did  not  seem  10 
divert  his  heart  from  him, — so  that  he  was  at  the 
same  time  wholly  taken  up  in  what  he  was  about, 
and  wholly  in  Him  for  whose  sake  he  was  acting ; 
not  only  was  he  actuated  by  love,  but  was  actually 
loving  in  the  very  act  itself  This  was  so  manifest 
as  to  give  him  the  appearance  of  an  angel  or  of 
a beatified  soul ; and  many  persons  declared  that, 
when  they  looked  at  him  at  the  time  his  soul  was 
thus  submerged  in  God,  the  dazzling  lustre  of  his 
countenance  compelled  them  to  withdraw  their 
eyes,  or  at  least  to  shade  them  from  its  brilliant 
rays.  Sometimes,  when  engaged  in  conversation 
with  his  religious  brethren  or  others,  feeling  him- 
self inwardly  called  by  God,  (acting  upon  his  mind 
and  heart  by  means  of  some  sudden  illustration,) 
fearful  of  betraying  his  secret,  he  would  quickly 
slip  aside  and  retire,  which  exciting  the  curiosity 
of' his  friends,  they  furtively  followed  and  watched 
him,  when  they  always  found  him  absorbed  in 
high  contemplation,  or  else  in  some  private  place 
using  the  discipline. 

Sparks  of  the  fire  which  burned  in  Xavier’s 
heart  occasionally  burst  forth  in  certain  brief  and 
fervent  aspirat;cn5-  The  most  familiar  one  was. 


592 


THE  LIFE  OF 


O most  holy  Trinity  ! He  used  it  so  frequently  that 
the  peasantry  on  the  Coast  of  Fishery,  in  Travancor, 
and  in  the  Moluccas  picked  it  up,  and  were  con- 
tinually repeating  it,  though  without  understanding 
its  sublime  signiticancy : even  the  most  savage 
idolaters,  in  moments  of  danger  or  surprise,  have 
been  observed  to  raise  their  eyes  and  hands  to 
heaven,  as  Xavier  did,  and  exclaim,  “O  Sanctissima 
Trinitas!”  In  consequence  of  this  perpetual  union 
with  God,  his  mind  even  in  sleep  seemed  to  wander 
in  search  of  him : incessantly  did  he  in  his  slum- 
bers repeat  the  invocation  of  the  blessed  Trinity, 
or,  0 my  Jesus ! 0 sweet  Jesus  ! Oh , the  Jesus  of  my 
heart ! and  others  of  a like  nature.  In  the  deli- 
rium of  illness,  he  could  only  speak  to  God,  or  of 
God, — so  that  he  seemed  to  be  carried  away  by  an 
extraordinary  access  of  charity,  rather  than  by 
the  frenzy  of  fever. 

From  the  interior  effects  of  the  soul,  which  we 
have  taken  as  the  first  indication  of  Xavier’s 
charity,  we  pass  on  to  the  second,  or  the  exterior 
effects  of  charity,  which,  according  to  the  rule  laid 
down  by  St.  John,  is  to  exclude  all  fear.  Xow,  he 
who  prizes  nothing  but  God  finds  no  good  out  of 
him,  and,  having  him,  fears  no  evil:  hence  he 
desires  nothing  and  fears  nothing.  The  reader 
will  at  once  feel  how  fully  this  was  all  realized  in 
Xavier.  Moreover,  one  great  proof  of  love  is,  to 
suffer  much  for  the  object  loved.  On  this  point, 
let  us  listen  to  the  sovereign  Pontiff,  who  expresses 
himself  in  the  following  terms: — “It  is  utterly 
inconceivable  how  much  Xavier  underwent  for  the 
love  of  Jesus  Christ : he  traversed  many  immense 
kingdoms,  always  on  foot,  and  often  bare-foot;  he 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  593 

crossed  vast  plains  of  burning  sand,  or  tra\eded 
paths  overrun  with  thorns  and  brambles : ofien 
was  he  outraged,  derided,  reviled,  struck,  and 
stoned.  In  danger  from  enemies;  in  dangers  on 
the  road;  in  danger  of  shipwreck  at  sea;  con- 
tinually watching,  and  this  in  cold  and  nakedness, 
in  hunger  and  thirst;  and,  in  addition  to  his  inde 
fatigable  labors,  he  suffered  from  dangerous  ill 
nesses.  Nevertheless,  like  the  apostle,  he  cared 
not  for  himself,  provided  he  could  but  accomplish 
the  duty  of  his  vocation  by  publishing  the  gospel 
of  God’s  grace.  All  these  things,  so  arduous  and 
so  bitter,  he  confronted,  sustained,  and  triumphed 
over  with  courage  of  soul  and  joy  of  mind,  exult- 
ing in  them  and  rendering  thanks  to  God  for  them.” 

The  sufferings  to  which  he  was  exposed  in  his 
voyages  could  scarcely  be  surpassed.  God  called 
him  from  Meliapore  to  the  Moluccas : so  deter- 
mined was  he  to  go  thither  at  once,  that,  had  no 
ship  been  at  hand,  he  would  have  attempted  that 
dangerous  passage  in  an  upen  boat  with  a pair  of 
oars.  This  voyage,  however,  was  accomplished 
in  safety;  but  not  so  the  next,  when  he  crossed 
from  Amboyna  to  Ternate.  Thrice  was  he  ship- 
wrecked; and  on  one  of  these  occasions  he  spent 
three  days  and  nights  on  a plank  of  the  wrecked 
vessel,  tossed  about  by  the  waves,  till  at  last 
Almighty  God  was  pleased  to  have  him  cast 
ashore,  more  dead  than  alive.  Let  us  take  his 
own  account  of  one  of  his  voyages.  “My  recent 
voyage  from  Cape  Comorin  to  Malacca  proved  diffi- 
cult : we  encountered  many  dangers,  both  from 
storms  and  pirates;  but  this  was  the  worst  of  all. 
Our  ship,  which  was  a very  large  one,  was  unex- 
2 N 50* 


594 


THE  LIFE  OF 


pectedly  driven  by  the  winds  upon  the  shoals,  and 
for  the  space  of  three  miles  the  keel  furrowed  the 
sand  as  we  went  along.  Had  we  then  struck  on 
any  hidden  rock,  or  had  the  shoal  itself  presented 
any  essential  inequality  of  surface,  as  we  appre- 
hended, we  must  inevitably  have  sunk.  Much 
weeping  and  much  anguish  of  heart  was  betrayed 
whilst  death  was  thus  before  our  eyes.  God  was 
pleased  to  instruct  us  by  this  danger,  and  to  show 
us  the  insufficiency  of  our  own  strength  at  such 
times,  and  how  little  we  can  then  expect  from 
human  aid : we  are  taught  the  fallacy  of  earthly 
hopes,  and  the  little  reliance  we  can  place  on  men; 
whereas,  when  our  confidence  is  placed  in  the  Cre- 
ator of  all  things,  he  gives  us  strength  and  courage 
not  to  fear  in  the  midst  of  dangers  encountered  for 
his  sake,  giving  us  the  conviction  that  all  events 
are  ruled  by  the  dictates  of  his  sovereign  will. 
We  moreover  proved  th&t  the  dread  of  impending 
death  is  not  to  be  compared  with  the  consolations 
which  he  imparts  to  those  who  meet  with  bitter 
trials  for  his  love : on  the  contrary,  they  to  whom 
God  gives  this  sense  of  joy  feel  no  fear  of  death.  I 
know  not  how  we  escaped  this  danger;  nor,  in  re- 
lating it,  do  I know  how  to  describe  the  greatness 
of  it:  at.  all  events,  it  has  left  a lively  impression  on 
my  memory,  giving  me  this  beneficial  admonition, 
— viz.,  never  to  be  dismayed  by  whatever  adversity 
I may  meet  with  in  the  service  of  so  good  a God.”  ! 

To  his  dangers  by  sea  we  may  add  dangers  by 
land,  no  less  severe  and  terrifying.  How  muen 
had  he  not  to  suffer  from  the  cupidity  of  some 
of  the  government  officials! — as,  for  instance,  the 
irreligious  captain  of  Malacca.  Others  have  pub- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  595 

lished  the  details  of  these  iniquities,  which  I would 
willingly  overlook,  in  order  that  posterit}^  may  not 
unjustly  ascribe  to  all  the  malice  of  the  few.  And 
4S  to  Xavier  himself,  contradictions  and  afflictions 
were  his  delight, — of  which,  in  truth,  he  had  his 
share.  How  much  it  must  have  cost  him  to  sub- 
ject so  many  barbarous  kingdoms,  so  many  rough 
uncultured  populations,  to  the  obedience  of  Jesus 
Christ ! No  better  proof  than  this  is  needed  of  the 
generosity  and  refined  nature  of  his  love  for  God, 
for  whom  alone  he  endured  these  sufferings,  and 
who,  enduring  them  for  him,  rejoiced  in  them. 
He  repeatedly  prayed  that  Almighty  God  would 
never  deliver  him  from  a difficulty,  unless  it  were 
to  throw  him  into  a greater.  We  revert  again 
and  again  with  astonishment  to  that  mysterious 
dream  so  often  repeated  previous  to  his  departure 
from  Europe, — a dream  which  seemed  to  presage 
his  future  toils  in  the  East,  and  in  which  it  ap- 
peared to  him  that  he  was  carrying  a ponderous 
Indian  on  his  shoulders.  So  oppressive  was  the 
burden  that,  on  awaking,  he  found  himself  bathed 
in  perspiration  and  panting  from  exhaustion. 
Though  partially  correct,  the  dreari  failed  at  least 
in  one  respect;  for,  as  our  holy  apostle  carried  on 
his  shoulders  the  burden,  not  of  one,  but  of  many 
kingdoms,  never  did  he  show  symptoms  of  weari- 
ness or  over-toil. 

This  assertion  is  borne  out  by  his  own  words; 
for  in  the  last  year  of  his  life  he  spoke  of  himself, 
in  one  of  his  letters,  as  just  preparing  to  begin  his 
work,  planning  his  measures  (after  the  conversion 
of  China)  for  passing  into  Tartary,  then  to  Ethio- 
pia, or,  if  this  were  found  impracticable,  for  pene- 


596 


THE  LIFE  OF 


trating  into  the  inland  kingdoms  of  Asia.  And  if 
he  did  not  realize  these  plans,  at  least  he  opened 
the  perilous  paths  to  his  successors,  one  of  whom 
tells  us  that,  whatever  dangers  and  sufferings  he 
and  his  companions  might  be  exposed  to,  never 
could  they  bear  any  comparison  with  those  of  Xa- 
vier; that,  in  conducting  souls  to  paradise,  there 
would  ever  be  as  great  a disparity  between  him 
and  them  as  there  was  between  the  two  leaders  of 
the  people  of  Israel,  Moses  and  Josue  : the  one  led 
his  followers  through  a vast  sea,  and  the  other 
through  a rivulet. 

Let  us  now  give  a few  details  illustrative  of  the 
generosity  of  his  charity,  so  utterly  devoid  of  fear 
whenever  the  service  of  God  was  in  question.  The 
devils  threatened  him  most  fearfully  if  he  ever 
attempted  the  passage  of  the  Moluccas : no  fear  had 
3.  The  same  was  the  case  when  his  friends  prognos- 
ticated poison  and  other  treachery  if  he  ventured 
to  set  foot  in  the  isle  of  Moro:  equally  courageous 
was  he  at  the  prospect  of  death  or  perpetual  im- 
prisonment in  China  : we  have  shown  how  boldly 
he  exposed  himself  to  all  these  dangers.  As  for 
the  last,  we  gather  his  own  opinion  of  it  from  his 
letter  to  his  friend  James  Pereira,  inviting  him  to 
rejoin  him  in  China,  “ where,”  says  he,  "you  will 
either  find  me  at  the  royal  court  of  Pekin,  or  chained 
and  in  prison  for  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ.” 

In  Amanguki  and  Funai  he  was  continually 
warned  that  the  bonzes  had  armed  men  in  ambush, 
watching  their  opportunity  to  massacre  him;  yet 
he  never  desisted  from  walking  out  either  day  or 
night  to  preach  in  the  public  streets,  or  for  private 
discussions  whenever  they  were  required.  How 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  697 

far  these  threats  were  from  alarming  him,  may  bo 
inferred  from  the  fact  of  his  calling  Japan  his  de- 
light, his  beatitude , his  paradise, — so  completely  did 
the  God  for  whom  he  toiled  and  suffered  change 
all  his  trials  into  joy  and  bliss  of  soul. 

This  seems  to  me  a fitting  place  to  dilate  a little 
on  what  I call  a spiritual  secret, — a secret  of  high 
importance  to  those  whom  God  invites  to  great 
and  difficult  enterprises  in  his  service, — a secret 
which  I have  learned  from  hundreds  of  letters 
penned  by  fervent  workmen  engaged  in  the  con- 
version of  infidels;  namely,  that  whenever  they 
found  themselves  in  savage  countries  far  away 
from  all  their  brethren,  in  utter  abandonment  of 
every  human  subsidy,  seen  and  known  only  by 
Almighty  God,  laboring  day  and  night,  preaching, 
catechizing,  and  baptizing,  yet,  in  recompense  for 
all  they  did,  but  too  often  persecuted,  expelled, 
hunted  unto  death,  and,  humanly  speaking,  in 
the  most  deplorable  condition  possible, — neverthe- 
less, amidst  all  this,  they  enjoyed  the  most  ex- 
quisite  delights,  showered  upon  them  from  heaven, 
— delights  of  which  they  express  themselves  in 
terms  to  us  so  apparently  exaggerated  as  scarcely 
to  be  intelligible.  And  yet,  when  upon  occasions 
these  same  fervent  laborers  have  been  recalled  to 
the  peaceful  comfort  of  their  colleges,  where  every 
thing  would  seem  to  promote  holy  joy  and  happi 
ness,  no  sooner  did  they  find  themselves  surroundea 
by  all  these  appliances  than  they  lost  that  keen  sense 
of  bliss,  those  intense  delights,  in  which  their  souls 
had  revelled,  as  we  may  say,  so  long  as  they  were 
in  the  midst  of  trials  and  persecutions.  To  use 


598 


THE  LIFE  OF 


their  own  words,  they  seemed  to  have  lost  a sea 
and  found  a font. 

Let  us  now  return  to  Xavier,  the  proofs  of  whose 
intrepid  charity  are  not  limited  to  a defiance  of 
future  threats;  for  most  undauntedly  did  he  con- 
front present  evils.  When,  in  a vision  .,oon  after 
his  conversion,  God  showed  him,  as  heretofore  he 
had  showed  the  great  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles, 
how  great  things  he  was  to  suffer  for  his  name,  so 
far  from  being  dismayed  at  the  dread  view,  with 
generous  impetuosity  of  heart  he  exclaimed,  “Yet 
more,  O Lord  ! yet  more  !” 

At  Amanguki,  at  Meaco,  and  in  the  isle  of  Moro, 
he  was  stoned  : he  was  twice  wounded  on  the  coast 
of  Travancore ; elsewhere  he  was  beaten ; else- 
where he  was  shot  with  an  arrow.  At  the  Fishery, 
he  was  continually  sought  unto  death,  sometimes 
by  the  Badages  and  sometimes  by  the  Moham- 
medans. But  God,  who  reserved  him  for  greater 
things  for  his  own  glory  and  for  the  salvation  of 
those  blind  pagans,  saved  him  on  many  occasions 
by  evident  miracle;  and  he,  too,  in  obedience  to 
our  Savior’s  precept,  sometimes  fled  and  concealed 
himself  in  caves  or  amidst  the  thick  foliage  of  the 
forest.  Nevertheless,  he  ardently  desired  martyr- 
dom; and  we  remark  one  striking  peculiarity  in 
this  apostolic  man,  namely,  the  virtue  with  which 
he  tempered  his  burning  desire  of  shedding  his 
blood  for  the  faith  so  completely  as  never  to  trans- 
gress the  limits  prescribed  to  religious  generosity 
by  his  divine  Master.  When  God  so  permitted,  he  , 
travelled  to  distant  nations  in  quest  of  death,  as 
we  may  say,  and  yet,  when  it  was  before  him,  he 
fled  from  it  ; not  because  he  feared  to  die,  but  be- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


599 


cause  he  feared  to  displease  God,  who  would  have 
him  save  his  life,  well  knowing  that  obedience,  as 
Samuel  told  the  ill-advised  Saul,  is  better  than 
victims. 

Twin-brother  with  the  love  of  God  stands  tbe 
love  of  our  neighbor;  and  as  the  latter  is  twofold, 
having  for  its  object  both  body  and  soul,  let  us 
consider  the  degree  of  proficiency  with  which 
Xavier  exercised  this  second  branch  of  charity. 
First,  with  regard  to  the  corporal  necessities  of  his 
neighbor : he  used  to  call  attending  on  the  sick 
his  reserved  delight;  and,  in  truth,  the  eagerness 
with  which  he  threw  himself  into  the  task  well 
showed  that  he  found  delight  in  it.  In  the  course 
of  this  work,  much  has  already  been  told  of  his 
charity  in  this  respect.  After  five  months  of  a 
wearisome  voyage  from  Lisbon  to  Mozambique, 
the  only  relaxation  he  allowed  himself  was  to  step 
from  the  ship  to  the  hospital,  where  he  assisted 
the  sick  soldiers,  amounting  to  some  hundreds 
day  and  night,  with  so  much  solicitude  and  charity 
that  it  was  generally  believed  that  the  greater  part 
of  those  who  recovered  owed  it  solely  to  his  care 
and  prayers. 

On  returning  from  any  distant  voyage  to  Goa, 
Cochin,  Malacca,  Coolan,  or  Bazaim,  where  there 
were  hospitals,  his  first  visit  on  landing  was,  not- 
to  his  dear  brethren,  but  to  the  sick;  from  them 
he  went  to  call  on  the  Franciscan  and  Dominican 
fathers,  kissing  the  hand  of  each  one  of  them  on 
his  knees,  with  more  than  the  affection  of  a bro- 
ther and  with  more  than  the  respect  of  a servant. 
Having  satisfied  this  devoir  of  charity,  as  he  called 
it,  he  at  length  went  to  the  college  of  the  Society 


THE  LIFE  OF 


frOO 

where  his  first  inquiry  was  whether  there  were 
any  invalids  in  the  infirmary,  and,  if  there  were, 
his  first  care  was  to  go  and  comfort  them.  His 
method,  too,  of  assisting  the  poor  sick  was  admi- 
rable: he  begged  for  them;  nor  was  he  ashamed 
of  being  seen  with  a wallet  on  his  shoulder,  col- 
lecting relief  for  them  from  door  to  door,  lie 
procured  them  little  delicacies  from  his  Portuguese 
friends,  and  would  even  go  to  considerable  expense 
to  procure  suitable  remedies.  When  he  found  any 
sick  lying  about  in  public  places,  he  would  carry 
them  to  the  hospital  himself  and  there  attend  to 
their  wants.  He  generally  washed  their  feet  on 
his  knees,  cleansed  their  filthy  limbs,  washed  their 
rags,  emptied  and  purified  the  foulest  vessels, 
made  their  beds,  cooked  for  them,  fed  them,  and, 
in  a word,  handled  and  dressed  the  most  loathsome 
wounds,  making  himself  all  to  all,  and  giving  these 
poor  creatures  the  affection  of  his  heart  as  well  as  * 
the  assistance  of  his  arms. 

Amidst  the  sufferings  of  others,  he  entirely 
forgot  his  own.  Not  that  he  was  without  them : 
far  from  it;  but,  as  we  have  already  related,  in  one 
of  his  voyages,  when  he  was  actually  dangerously  j \ 
ill,  overcoming  the  weakness  of  nature  by  the  j [ 
strength  of  his  charity,  he  dragged  himself  along 
to  render  service  to  his  sick  neighbor, — to  whom,  i ; 
if  he  could  afford  no  other  relief,  the  mere  sight  p 
of  him  gave  consolation. 

Nor  was  he  less  compassionate  toward  the  dead: 
he  washed  the  bodies,  clothed  them  in  the  winding- 
sheet,  (generally  begged  as  an  alms;)  and  in  bar-  [ ^ 
barous  countries,  where  there  was  no  Christian  * 
burial-ground,  he  dug  the  grave  with  his  own 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


601 


nands,  buried  them,  and  then  recited  the  Dead- 
Office  on  the  spot.  If  any  Portuguese  happened 
to  be  present,  he  took  care  to  make  a suitable 
discourse  on  death.  It  was  his  invariable  "practice 
to  pray  for  the  deceased  every  morning  after  his 
mass;  and  we  have  already  alluded  to  his  evening 
custom  of  going  through  the  streets  with  a beil 
in  his  hand,  reminding  the  people  to  pray  foi 
sinners  and  for  the  dead. 

Next  to  the  sick,  prisoners  were  the  objects  of 
his  solicitude.  When  he  was  in  any  town  with  a 
prison  in  it,  he  regularly  spent  one  day  every  week 
among  the  prisoners  to  assist  their  souls;  but, 
besides  this,  he  provided  for  their  corporal  neces- 
sities, supplying  them  with  food  and  clothing,  and 
often  satisfying  the  creditors  of  those  who  were 
detained  from  their  hapless  families  on  the  score 
of  debt.  Having  great  influence  with  the  go- 
vernors and  with  the  viceroy,  many  a poor  captive 
was  restored  to  liberty  at  his  solicitation.  Suffice 
it  to  say,  the  poor  and  the  afflicted  with  one  accord 
styled  him  their  father.  And  well  they  might:  he 
proved  himself  such  to  them,  both  in  tender  affec- 
tion and  in  active  deeds.  Whatever  was  given 
him  by  the  generosity  of  his  friends  or  the  piety 
of  his  penitents  was  immediately  transferred  from 
his  hands  to  those  of  the  poor.  In  sailing  from 
Portugal  to  the  Indies,  he  declined  the  governor’s 
proffered  invitation  to  his  table ; but  he  accepted 
the  dishes  sent  him  from  it.  though  for  no  othei 
purpose  than  to  distribute  tnem  among  the  sick 
he  himself  subsisting  on  the  fragments  of  bread 
which  he  begged  among  the  passengers. 

He  was  perpetually  soliciting  alms,  not  only  to 
51 


THE  LIFE  OF 


JP2 

ward  off  the  more  pressing  calls  of  poverty,  such 
as  hunger  and  nakedness,  but  also  to  relieve  many 
respectable  families.  Merchants,  for  instance, 
ruined  by  some  disastrous  speculation  or  by  losses 
at  sea,  widows,  orphans,  abandoned  children,  &c., 
all  became  objects  of  bis  solicitude,  and  for  all  did 
he  endeavor  to  provide.  Then,  again,  there  were 
idolaters  and  Mohammedans,  who  perhaps  for- 
feited the  means  of  subsistence  by  embracing 
Christianity:  all  these  appealed  to  Xavier  and 
depended  on  his  charity.  He  wrote  even  from 
Japan  to  the  Indies,  beseeching  his  friends  there  to 
send  him  wherewith  to  succor  his  new  Christians, 
many  of  whom  were  of  noble  birth  and  previous 
to  their  baptism  had  been  accustomed  to  all  the 
luxuries  of  life,  but  afterward,  at  the  instigation 
of  the  bonzes,  their  property  was  confiscated  and 
themselves  reduced  to  poverty.  They  were,  as 
Xavier  justly  remarked,  all  the  more  deserving 
of  charity,  as  they  cheerfully  encountered  priva- 
'on,  and  would  readily  have  been  martj’red,  for 
their  faith. 

Whenever  the  saint  made  these  large  demands 
on  the  liberality  of  his  friends,  he  took  care  to 
remind  them  of  the  hundredfold  with  which  God 
had  pledged  his  word  to  recompense  them. 

The  greater  number  of  his  miracles  were  wrought 
either  to  alleviate  public  calamity  or  private 
misery,  which  his  heart  could  not  bear  to  see  his 
dear  children  undergoing.  They  may,  therefore, 
be  styled  the  miracles  of  his  fraternal  charity,  as 
well  as  of  his  confidence  in  God.  We  notice  this 
in  the  tempests  he  appeased,  in  the  transmutation 
of  salt  water  into  fresh,  in  the  wrecked  vesseir 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  603 

guided  into  harbor,  in  the  pestilences  subdued, 
in  the  armies  put  to  flight,  and  other  similar  in- 
cidents already  recorded. 

If  the  charity  of  Xavier  was  so  active  and 
effective  in  behalf  of  the  corporal  and  temporal 
welfare  of  his  neighbor,  what  was  his  fervent 
zeal  when  their  eternal  salvation  was  in  question  ! 
Here,  in  truth,  he  was  unwearying  and  unwearied. 
Those  who  were  well  acquainted  with  his  labors 
for  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  declare  that  they 
were  far  beyond  the  ordinary  powers  of  nature, 
and  that  Xavier’s  greatest  miracle  was  not  raising 
the  dead  to  life,  but  that  one  of  continuing  him- 
self alive  in  spite  of  the  many  concurrent  circum- 
stances which  would,  naturally  speaking,  occasion 
death.  The  Archbishop  of  Goa  and  the  viceroy 
Hon  Alexis  Menesis  were  utterly  astonished  at  the 
amount  of  labor  effected  by  Xavier  in  the  short 
space  of  ten  or  eleven  years.  The  latter  thus  ex- 
presses himself  on  this  subject: — “ I look  upon  it 
as  a great  miracle  that  he  should  have  been  en- 
abled to  convert,  in  so  short  a space  of  time,  so 
many  populations  in  provinces  and  kingdoms  so 
distant  from  one  another.  For  he  conferred  the 
lacrament  of  baptism  on  an  almost  infinite  number 
of  people  of  every  race,  sex,  and  condition,  having 
previously  instructed  them  in  the  truths  of  re- 
ligion.” 

Notwithstanding  these  superhuman  toils,  his  zeal 
for  the  salvation  of  souls  not  only  gave  him  life 
and  vigor,  but  even  cheerfulness  and  joy,  in  toil; 
insomuch  that  what  in  him  was  the  effect  of  the 
most  refined  charity  seemed  to  be  the  instinct  and 
inclination  of  nature.  This  is  the  highest  degree 


604 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  which  virtue  can  be  carried.  In  confirmation 
of  this  opinion,  I adduce  the  testimony  of  Father 
Melchior  Nunez,  a man  of  rare  virtue  and  well 
versed  in  the  things  of  God. 

Speaking  in  one  of  his  letters  of  Father  Francis 
Xavier,  he  uses  these  precise  terms : — “ In  pro- 
pagating the  faith,  in  preaching  to  the  Christians, 
Mohammedans,  and  pagans,  Father  Francis  ap- 
peared to  be  actuated  not  so  much  by  virtue, 
either  infused  or  acquired,  as  by  pure  inclination 
of  nature : nevertheless,  his  life  depended  upon 
this.  He  could  have  found  delight  in  no  other  oc- 
cupation than  that  of  bringing  souls  to  the  know- 
ledge and  love  of  God.  In  this  exercise  alone  dv 
he  find  his  peace  and  repose.  No  sooner  was  there 
a glimmer  of  hope  that  some  new  pagan  kingdom 
might  be  won  over  to  Christ,  than  he  eagerly 
hastened  thither;  and,  as  it  frequently  happened 
that  the  voyage  was  dangerous  or  out  of  season, 
or  that  the  people  wTere  savage,  his  friends  would, 
out  of  affection  and  compassion,  advise  him  not  to 
expose  himself  to  such  manifest  dangers ; but  he, 
following  the  dictates  of  his  heart,  would  imme- 
diately reply  that  he  was  ready  to  give,  not  one, 
but  a thousand  lives,  if  he  had  them,  for  the  sal- 
vation of  a single  soul.  The  very  infidels,  most 
especially  the  Japanese,  were  in  utter  astonishment 
at  a charity  which  could  have  brought  such  a mar 
so  man}'  thousand  miles  for  no  other  purpose  than 
that  of  conveying  the  truths  of  salvation  to  an 
unknown  people.  And,  indeed,  when  we  trace  the 
course  of  his  journeys  by  sea  and  land,  we  ask,  in 
astonishment,  how  he  can  have  found  an  hour  of 
time  for  work.  At  his  first  starting,  thirteen 


SAINT  FRANCIS  Xa*\  IV\.  605 

months  were  consumed  in  the  voyage  from  Portu- 
gal to  the  Indies:  he  wintered  at  Mozambique-, 
touched  at  Melinda  and  Socotora,  and  next  reached 
Goa.  From  hence  he  proceeded  to  Cape  Comorin, 
along  the  coast  of  the  Pearl  Fishery  as  far  as 
Xegapatan;  thence  to  Cochin,  and  back  to  Goa; 
again  to  the  Fishery,  and  then  farther  inland,  as 
far  as  the  kingdom  of  Travancore.  Travelling 
along  the  coast,  he  again  reached  Cochin,  again 
returned  to  Goa,  and  from  thence  proceeded  to 
Cambaia,  along  that  coast  up  to  the  mount  of  the 
Indus.  "Returning  by  Cochin,  he  crossed  over  to 
the  isle  of  Ceylon,  visiting  three  smaller  islands 
in  his  way  to  Negapatan.  He  quitted  the  latter 
to  undertake  his  pilgrimage  to  St.  Thomas  or  Me- 
liapore;  after  which  he  crossed  the  gulf  to  Ma- 
lacca. Crossing  the  equinoctial  line,  he  visited 
Banda,  Amboyna,  Ruliager  IJlate,  Banarra,  Ro- 
solao,  and  other  islets  unknown  to  geographers, 
and  therefore  unnamed.  From  these  he  went  on 
to  Ternate,  Moro,  Morotia,  and  Morotaij ; then  to 
the  Celebes,  from  whence  he  returned  to  Ternate 
and  Amboyna;  and,  repassing  the  equinoctial  line, 
he  again  found  himself  at  Malacca.  Directing 
his  course  westerly,  he  took  port  at  Cochin,  where 
he  was  scarcely  arrived,  and  before  he  could  rest 
or  recruit  himself  at  all,  he  returned  to  the  Fish- 
ery; then  was  summoned  to  the  kingdom  of  Randy. 
His  next  voyage  was  to  Goa;  thence  along  the 
sam e coast  up  to  Bazaim,  back  to  Goa,  next  to 
Cochin,  and  again  to  Goa,  again  to  Cochin;  and 
then,  coasting  along  the  promontory  as  far  as  the 
gulf,  he  crossed  it  and  reached  Malacca.  Ad- 
vancing northerly  along  the  coast  of  China,  he 
51* 


606 


THE  LIFE  OF 


landed  in  Japan,  between  four  and  five  thousand 
miles  distant  from  Goa.  Here  he  founded  the  first 
Christian  Church  in  the  kingdom  of  Saxuma. 
Advancing  inland,  he  entered  the  kingdom  of  Fi- 
rando,  and  afterward  that  of  Soowo,  of  which 
Amanguki  is  the  capital.  Continuing  his  journey 
on  foot  for  two  months,  he  arrived  at  Meaco,  where 
he  remained  but  a few  days,  and  returned  by  the 
same  toilsome  road  to  Amanguki : from  thence  he 
was  summoned  to  the  kingdoms  of  Figen  and 
Bungo.  After  contending  against  the  bonzes  and 
laboring  in  his  apostolic  vocation  for  upward  of 
two  years,  he  quitted  Japan,  sailing  first  to  San 
cian,  and  then,  after  encountering  one  of  the  most 
fearful  tempests  on  record,  he  reached  Mindanao. 
After  preaching  the  faith  there,  he  returned  to  Ma- 
lacca and  to  Goa.  Finally,  he  returned  to  Mav 
lacca,  from  whence  he  sailed  to  the  Straits  of  Singa- 
poor,  and,  after  a brief  sojourn  among  the  islets 
there,  he  repaired  to  Sancian ; and  here  Almighty 
God  put  an  end  to  his  wanderings  and  his  labors, 
by  calling  him  to  the  rewards  of  the  blessed. 

This  is  but  a brief  outline  of  the  travels  of  the 
Apostle  of  the  Indies,  St.  Francis  Xavier : we  have 
omitted  his  visits  to  the  Javans,  Acheens,  and  num- 
berless other  islands,  to  which  we  know  for  certain 
that  he  carried  the  light  of  the  gospel,  though  we 
do  not  know  the  precise  epoch  at  which  he  did  so. 
Now,  a moderate  computation  of  the  many  thou-* 
sand  miles  he  thus  traversed  would  prove  that, 
had  his  travels  been  in  one  uninterrupted  line,  he 
amst  have  accomplished  far  mpre  than  the  mere 
Circumnavigation  of  the  globe.  Nevertheless,  his 
voyages  form  the  least  part  of  his  work  Who- 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  607 

ever  reflects  on  the  amount  of  labor  which  ho  weni 
through,  in  winning  over  to  the  faith  and  in  in- 
structing and  baptizing  so  many  hundred  thou 
sand  individuals,  would  wonder  how  he  could  have 
found  any  time  for  travelling.  Well  might  li$ 
say,  as  he  often  did,  that  if  he  could  have  been  in% 
ten  places  at  once  it  would  only  have  been  the 
realization  of  his  own  wish,  so  eager  was  he  to 
convert  souls  to  God;  nor  would  this  ubiquity 
have  enabled  him  to  do  more  than  the  urgent 
press  of  work  which  he  so  well  knew  there  was  to 
do.  We  have  alluded  to  his  gigantic  figure  on  one 
occasion  when  he  was  conferring  baptism ; but 
this  was  no  solitary  instance:  it  was  frequently 
repeated  during  the  ten  years  that  he  devoted 
to  the  evangelization  of  the  Indies.  And  as  in 
stature  he  surpassed  the  ordinary  measure  of  man- 
kind, so  too  was  he  superior  to  ordinary  men  in 
vigor  of  soul  and  in  operative  virtue.  No  man 
could  excel  therein  as  he  did  otherwise  than  by 
miracle.  If  the  conversion  of  one  hundred  thou- 
sand infidels  suffice  to  make  an  apostle,  the  number 
baptized  by  Xavier’s  hand  alone  suffice  to  make 
many  apostles.  In  the  year  1549,  he  said,  in  one 
of  his  letters,  that  should  Almighty  God  prolong 
his  life  for  another  ten  years,  fruits  well  worthy  of 
the  culture  given  to  the  soil  would  be  collected. 
In  the  mean  time,  he  went  on  forming  plans  of 
vast  enterprise,  as  if  he  were  to  live  through  a 
long  century,  yet  working  as  indefatigably  as  if  he 
had  but  one  day  left  to  labor.  Often  was  he  so 
completely  immersed  in  his  salutary  toils  as  to  pass 
two  or  even  three  days  without  taking  any  other 
nourishment  than  such  as  was  heretofore  pre- 


)8  THE  LIFE  OF 

sented  to  fet.  Peter  in  the  mysterious  sheet  let 
down  before  his  eyes  from  heaven  when  he  heard 
himself  so  wonderfully  invited  “ to  kill  and  eat.” 

The  sweet  delight  arising  from  his  close  union 
with  God  never  interfered  with  the  1-ess  sublime 
and  more  ordinary  occupation  of  attending  to  the 
wants  of  his  neighbor.  He  willingly  deprived 
himself  of  enjoyment  with  God,  if  by  it  he  could 
give  joy  to  God,  Ity  winning  over  some  poor  soul 
to  him.  He  has  often  been  interrupted  six  or 
seven  times  whilst  reciting  one  hour  of  the  Divine 
Office, — which  he  always  resumed  with  equal  cheer- 
fulness, to  be  again  interrupted  with  as  much  con- 
tent as  it  had  been  resumed. 

It  may  possibly  occur  to  the  reader  that,  cop 
sidering  the  immense  number  of  infidels  baptizes 
by  him,  he  must  have  given  them  but  very  super 
ficial  instruction.  Quite  the  contrary.  Children 
the  unmarried,  the  married,  widows,  servants, 
masters,  and  slaves,  all  had  their  respective  hours 
appointed  for  instruction.  Each  class  was  sepa 
rately  taught,  and  made  to  understand  not  onl; 
the  principles  of  religion,  but  likewise  the  obliga- 
tions of  their  respective  states.  He  made  them 
one  by  one  recite  the  articles  of  belief.  He  care- 
fully trained  masters  to  supply  his  place,  and  he 
translated  into  the  language  of  each  country  ho 
converted  all  that  was  necessary  to  be  believed 
and  practised  in  order  to  salvation.  He  disputed 
with  the  Brahmins,  bonzes,  and  other  learned 
men;  nor  did  he  quit  one  place  to  go  to  another 
ontil  he  had  firmly  rooted  the  faith  in  the  one  he 
was  leaving.  Of  all  the  countries  converted  by 
iiim,  none  (with  the  exception  of  Tolo,  and  that 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


009 


but  for  a short  time)  returned  to  paganism.  We 
know  for  certain  that  towns  and  kingdoms  had 
been  left  for  ten  and  fifteen  years  after  Xavierdiad 
converted  them,  without  being  visited  by  any 
priest,  and  yet  at  the  end  of  that  time  were  found 
as  fresh  and  fervent  in  the  exercises  of  religion  as 
if  they  had  only  been  baptized  the  day  before. 
We  know,  too,  of  numberless  slaves  carried  off  by 
the  idolaters,  who,  rather  than  prove  renegades, 
boldly  confronted  martyrdom.  Such,  then,  were 
the  converts  of  St.  Francis  Xavier.  As  for  the 
number  of  his  converts,  the  Processes  for  his  canoni- 
zation rate  them  at  upward  of  seven  hundred 
thousand;  but,  in  real  truth,  the  number  could  not 
be  accurately  stated.  In  one  place,  we  are  told, 
he  converted  twelve  thousand,  in  another  twenty- 
five,  elsewhere  forty,  and  elsewhere  a hundred, 
thousand;  and  we  are  expressly  told  that  he  bap- 
tized the  population  of  a whole  territory  in  onei 
day,  going  on  till  his  voice  became  extinct  and 
until  he  could  no  longer  raise  his  arm  to  perform 
the  baptismal  function.  It  was  often  impossible, 
therefore,  to  enumerate  his  converts. 

llis  apostolic  zeal,  ever  active  and  industrious, 
gives  us  another  subject  to  dwell  upon,  as  surpris- 
ing to  us  as  it  is  glorious  to  him, — namely,  the 
churches  he  erected, — churches  which  originally 
were,  indeed,  composed  of  poor  materials,  boards 
covered  with  evergreens  and  thatched  with  straw, 
having  within  an  altar,  a cross,  and  in  the  more 
sumptuous  Ones  perhaps  a picture  of  our  Blessed 
Lady.  Being  raised,  however,  in  the  midst  of 
wild,  uncult;  vated  savages,  they  supplied  the  place 
of  temples  And  basilicas  to  them,  who  knew  no- 
2 0 


6i0 


THE  LIFE  OF 


thing  of  marble  quarries  or  the  glories  of  archi 
ture.  A chapel  was  raised  in  every  territory  and 
village  converted  by  him.  He  raised  no  fewer 
than  forty  on  the  Coast  of  the  Fishery,  some  less 
and  some  more  elegantly  adorned.  He  did  the 
same  in  the  kingdom  of  Travancore;  and  where  he 
<vas  unable  to  build  churches  he  contrived  to  plant 
crosses  in  some  sheltered  spot,  round  which  the 
faithful  could  assemble  in  prayer.  All  the  churches 
which  he  built,  however,  were  not  so  poor  as  those 
we  have  been  describing : as  the  piety  and  num- 
bers of  the  faithful  increased,  they  enlarged  and 
embellished  their  churches,  one  town  vying  with 
another  as  to  which  should  have  the  most  splendid 
house  of  worship.  But,  whether  they  were  woll 
or  ill  adorned,  the  faith  and  devotion  of  the  people 
supplied  the  place  of  ornament. 

In  his  voyages  by  sea,  if  by  chance  the  ship  cast 
anchor  otf  some  island  or  touched  at  some  port,  a 
sort  of  shade  or  canopy  was  quickly  raised  upon 
the  beach,  and  other  arrangements  for  the  cele- 
bration of  the  holy  mysteries,  where  soldiers, 
sailors,  passengers,  and  merchants  collected  around 
him  to  hear  him  preach;  for  preaching  was  another 
of  his  zealous  works.  In  it,  he  adapted  himself  to 
the  condition  of  his  audience;  but,  whether  he 
preached  in  polished  city  or  in  rustic  hamlet,  in 
presence  of  born  Christians,  recent  converts,  or 
infidels,  his  sermons  were  all  equally  full  of  the 
spirit  of  God,  breathing  naught  but  charity  and 
zeal.  On  some  of  these  occasions  such  troops  of 
Indians  flocked  to  hear  him  that,  unable  to  meet 
with  any  building  sufficiently  capacious,  he  would 
lead  them  forth  into  the  open  country,  when  ne 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


611 


preached  to  them  from  an  elevated  position  or  from 
the  branch  of  a tree.  The  general  topic  of  these 
discourses  was  the  eternity  of  rewards  and  punish- 
ments after  death, — on  which  he  would  speak  so 
touchingly  and  so  energetically  that  when  he  had 
finished  they  rushed  round  him,  exclaiming,  “Great 
is  the  God  of  the  Christians !”  or  they  would  pro- 
test that  they  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  they 
abhorred  their  idols  and  idolatry,  and  that  they 
were  ready  to  die  rather  than  lose  the  grace  Of 
God  and  the  faith. 

In  a word,  such  was  his  confidence  in  the  in- 
superable force  of  the  eternal  truths  of  the  gospel, 
that  had  he  succeeded  in  entering  China,  and  there 
have  been  committed  to  prison,  as  his  friends  prog- 
nosticated, he  declared  that  he  would  then  preach 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  to  his  fellow-prisoners, 
some  of  whom  might  in  process  of  time  be  libe- 
rated, and  so  through  them  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  God  might  be  propagated  and  even  reach  the 
ears  of  the  emperor  himself. 

Places  too  remote  for  his  voice  to  penetrate  were, 
nevertheless,  the  objects  of  his  thoughts  and  zeal. 
His  pen  effected  what  his  tongue  could  not;  and 
thus  he  preached  by  the  mouths  of  others. 

He  composed  and  transcribed  a number  of  in- 
structions, adapted  to  the  capacities  of  all  ages  and 
all  ranks,  translating  them  inH  the  languages  of 
the  countries  he  converted.  They  were  read  in 
public  several  times  a week,  that  they  might  be 
well  impressed  in  the  memory  of  the  hearers. 
He  drew  up  an  epitome  of  the  principal  events 
occurring  since  the  fall  of  Adam  till  the  preaching 
of  the  apostles;  and,  that  this  might  be  more  in- 


teresting  to  the  children  and  the  peasantry,  he 
threw  it  into  rhyme,  when  it  was  learned  and 
sung  with  delight.  Experience  taught  him  the 
advantage  of  versifying  his  written  instructions. 
The  Indians  have  a quick  ear  for  melody  and 
poetry.  The  plan,  too,  proved  doubly  useful ; for, 
besides  imparting  a knowledge  of  the  principal 
mysteries  of  religion,  it  also  expelled  the  profane, 
immodest  songs  to  which  the  people  had  previ- 
ously been  much  addicted.  All  along  the  coasts 
of  Malabar  and  the  Fishery,  and  in  the  Moluccas, 
we  are  assured  that,  night  and  day,  men,  women, 
and  children  might  be  heard  singing  the  Our  Father 
the  Sail  Mary , the  Creed,  the  Commandments , ana 
the  chief  mysteries  of  faith,  all  reduced  to  hymns 
by  the  holy  father. 

These  are  some  of  the  specimens  of  Xavier’s 
indefatigable  charity,  directed  indifferently  to  the 
common  good  of  all  sorts  of  people.  The  follow 
ing  are  still  more  remarkable.  We  begin  with  the 
skill  and  prudent  measures  with  which  he  strove 
to  gain  over  to  the  service  of  the  King  of  kings 
the  idolatrous  princes  with  whom  he  came  in  con 
tact,  and  this,  not  merely  for  the  honor  redound 
ing  to  Jesus  Christ  when  crowned  heads  bowed 
down  at  his  feet,  but  still  more  because,  generally 
speaking,  the  conversion  of  the  sovereign  was  ac 
oompanied  by  that  of  his  subjects.  He  attemptei 
it  with  the  Moorish  King  of  Travancore,  with  twe 
idolatrous  princes  of  Ceylon,  with  the  satraps  of 
the  Pearl-Fishery,  with  the  Kings  of  Saxumo, 
Amanguki,  and  Bungo,  and  with  the  grand  Yo  oi 
Meaco;  but  in  all  these,  plurality  of  wives,  am 
the  privilege  of  other  sensual  abominations,  provoi 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAYIBIt.  til3 

^surmountable  obstacles,  for  a time  at  least. 
Nevertheless,  Almighty  God,  who  holds  the  hearts 
of  kings  in  his  hand,  would  not  permit  all  the 
endeavors  of  the  saint  in  this  respect  to  remain 
ineffective.  His  first  royal  converts  were  two 
princesses,  the  sisters  of  Gachil  Aerio,  King  of 
Molucca:  their  baptism  was  soon  followed  by  that 
of  two  nephews  of  the  same  prince.  Next  came 
the  learned  Moor,  Neakil,  daughter  of  the  King  of 
Tidor  and  wife  of  the  King  of  Ternate.  He  also 
converted  the  Kings  of  Nuliager  and  Ulate,  to- 
gether with  their  vassals.  Nearer  to  the  Moluccas 
is  the  isle  of  Rosalao,  whose  inhabitants  and  king 
he  converted,  giving  the  latter  his  own  name, 
Francis,  in  baptism.  To  these  may  be  added  the 
King  of  the  Maldives,  and  a king  of  one  of  the 
Celebes,  together  with  the  young  prince  his  son. 

Besides  those  which  we  have  mentioned,  there 
were  many  others  not  specified  in  the  Processes, 
because  their  names  have  been  lost  in  the  lapse  of 
time.  Of  their  large  number  there  can  be  no 
doubt,  because  the  sovereign  Pontiffs  expressly 
say,  “Many  kings  and  great  princes  were  by  him 
subjected  to  the  sweet  yoke  of  Jesus  Christ/’ 

Although  several  instances  of  his  inventive 
charity  for  the  purpose  of  converting  sinners  have 
been  given  in  the  preceding  pages,  we  cannot  dis- 
miss this  important  subject  without  a few  ad- 
ditional details.  Strange  as  it  may  appear,  we 
may  safely  say  that  the  engaging  sweetness  of  his 
manner  effected  more  conversions  than  the  force 
of  his  virtue  and  miracles.  He  was  gentle  and 
forbearing  toward  all,  but  used  most  condescen- 
sion and  familiarity  with  those  whose  souls  were 
62 


THE  LIFE  OF 


•*>14 

in  the  most  desperate  condition, — affecting  igna 
ranee  of  their  notorious  scandals,  the  better  to  win 
their  good  will,  the  first  step  toward  the  important 
point.  When  among  a set  of  licentious  soldiers, 
he  adapted  himself  as  well  as  he  could  to  their  re- 
pulsive ways,  seeming  not  to  see  or  hear  their 
offensive  words  and  acts.  He  would  request  them 
to  perform  little  services  for  him,  which  he  would 
cordially  return,  thus  to  ingratiate  himself  with 
them  At  one  time  he  happened  to  have  such  an 
old  pair  of  shoes  that  he  could  scarcely  keep  them 
on  his  feet.  A soldier  wished  to  give  him  a better 
pair,  asking  him  whether  he  would  accept  them. 
Anxious  to  show  grateful  appreciation  of  kindness, 
he  readily  consented:  so  the  man  ran  off  to  fetch 
them:  he  presented  them,  however,  with  a blush, 
making  some  apology  for  the  color,  for  they  were 
yellow;  but  the  saint  seemed  quite  pleased  with 
them,  replying,  in  a jocular  tone,  “I  see!  a clever 
trick  of  yours  to  escape  giving  me  the  shoes,  yet 
paying  me  the  compliment  of  offering  them.  No! 
no!”  and,  taking  the  shoes,  soon  put  them  on  his 
feet,  saying  to  the  donor,  “ See  how  admirably  i 
they  fit  me ! and,  after  all,  why  should  not  I be 
shod  in  soldier  fashion  ?”  He  wore  the  shoes  for 
a few  days,  in  order  that  the  rest  of  the  soldiers 
might  see  how  much  he  had  been  gratified  by  the  a 
attention  of  their  comrade;  and  then  he  asked  his  j p, 
consent  to  have  them  blackened,  telling  him  that  1 (( 
if  he  made  his  appearance  on  shore  in  colored  ^ 
shoes  the  children  would  run  after  him  and  pelt  ^ 
him. 

On  quitting  any  of  the  colleges  for  some  long  ,je; 
journey,  he  took  nothing  with  him  but  his  habit  ^ 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


615 


his  breviary,  and  the  vestments  necessary  for  mass; 
but  of  further  clothing  or  provisions  he  had  abso- 
lutely none.  The  soldiers  on  board  a ship  would 
lend  him  some  old  rag  of  a shirt  till  his  own  could 
be  washed  and  mended.  The  very  calls  of  his 
poverty  gained  him  the  affection  of  his  benefac- 
tors. Whenever  they  invited  him  to  their  table, 
he  did  not  sit  there  with  a stiff,  austere  counte- 
nance : on  the  contrary,  he  was  the  first  to  start 
some  agreeable  topic,  in  order  to  prevent  them 
from  introducing  any  thing  less  pleasant.  To  be- 
guile the  tedium  of  a long  voyage,  gaming  seemed 
the  chief  resource.  To  check  the  strifes  and  oaths 
of  the  players,  he  would  take  his  seat  among  them: 
sometimes,  as  he  made  his  appearance,  they  would 
hide  the  cards  and  dice,  at  which  he  would  pre- 
tend to  be  offended,  telling  them  they  were  not 
monks,  therefore  he  did  not  expect  to  see  them 
with  their  office-books  in  their  hands  all  day  long; 
that,  though  swearing,  cheating,  and  quarrelling 
were  forbidden,  there  was  no  prohibition  against 
a game  of  cards,  &c.  Thus  encouraged,  they  re- 
sumed their  game,  he  deciding  their  points  of  dis- 
pute : in  this  manner  their  amusement  passed 
without  any  offence  against  God.  This  affability 
led  to  the  salvation  of  many  a desperate  soul;  for, 
after  engaging  these  men,  one  at  a time,  in  private 
conversation,  beginning,  as  usual,  on  military 
topics,  he  insensibly  passed  on  to  what  more  im 
mediately  concerned  their  souls,  their  exposure  to 
death,  both  by  storms  at  sea  and  battles  by  land, 
reminding  them  of  the  hell  which  awaited  them  if 
death  perchance  overtook  them  in  their  actual 
state  of  sin.  By  these  means  he  not  only  brought 


616 


THE  LIFE  OF 


many  to  repentance  and  to  a Christian  mode  of 
life,  but  several  others,  moved  by  his  words,  and 
still  more  by  his  example,  renounced  the  military 
profession  and  put  on  the  monastic  habit. 

He  acted  in  the  same  manner  with  merchants, 
men  who,  generally  speaking,  are  so  completely 
immersed  in  the  affairs  of  this  life  as  to  care  little 
for  those  of  heaven : with  these,  too,  he  knew  how 
to  make  himself  all  to  all , showing  an  interest  in 
their  prosperity,  blessing  their  ships,  often  inquiring 
about  their  purchases,  &c.  But,  after  discoursing 
of  merchandise,  sales,  manufactures,  and  so  forth, 
he  dexterously  changed  the  subject  to  a comparison 
between  the  goods  of  earth  and  heaven,  of  the 
perishable  nature  of  earthly  treasures  in  contrast 
with  those  which  will  never  have  an  end,  and  ex- 
patiating on  that  vast  capital  of  beatitude  which 
they  might  so  easily  secure  for  themselves  in  the 
kingdom  of  God.  “Oh,  how  foolish  of  heart  are 
#e!”  would  he  exclaim;  “created  as  we  are  for 
such  great  things,  yet  coveting  the  viler  things  of 
this  world;  deeming  ourselves  happy  if  we  have 
them,  and  unfortunate  if  we  lose  them ! Actinc 
as  if  there  were  no  other  life  but  the  present  to 
look  forward  to,  and  as  if  no  other  goods  were 
worth  purchasing  but  the  silver  of  Japan,  the 
silks  of  China,  and  the  spices  of  the  Moluccas: 
nevertheless,  what  will  it  avail  a man  to  gain  the 
whole  world , if  he  lose  his  own  soul?”  This  sentence 
general ly  closed  his  discussions  with  commercial 
men,  many  of  whom  he  succeeded  in  gaining  over 
to  God  so  effectually  that  they  sold  their  mei 
chandise  and  ships,  gave  the  produce  to  the  poor, 
and  entered  religious  orders;  whilst  others,  who 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  ol? 

did  not  to  so  far  as  this,  became  most  liberal  in 
almsdeeds;  and  to  these  he  could  always  apply 
when  he  needed  a handsome  sum  for  any  special 
emergency. 

His  paternal  charity  and  patient  forbearanco 
were  extended  in  an  equal  degree  to  his  new  con- 
verts. Uncivilized  as  they  were  for  the  most  part, 
he  conformed  himself  to  their  customs,  taking 
them  such  as  they  were,  not  requiring  more  than 
could  reasonably  be  expected  from  men  trained  to 
such  offensive  habits  and  grown  old  in  vice.  As 
the  majority  of  them  were  poor,  especially  the 
Paravans,  Xavier  obtained  the  remission  of  certain 
annual  tributes,  which  weighed  heavily  upon  them, 
and  which  had  often  been  exacted  by  the  crown- 
collectors  with  great  cruelty  and  avarice. 

It  remains  for  us  now  to  consider  the  line  of 
conduct  adopted  by  the  holy  father  in  regard  to 
individual  sinners,  whom  he  first  strove  to  win  to 
himself  that  he  might  afterward  surrender  them 
to  God.  Lorenzo  Suarez  Fighieredo,  who  was 
intimately  acquainted  with  him,  says,  “ The  affable 
familiarity  of  Father  Francis  was  such  that  no 
one  could  ever  be  annoyed  at  his  conversation  : he 
was  so  full  of  true  humility  that  the  meanest  and 
poorest  could  not  feel  afraid  of  him,  or  hesitate  at 
calling  him  to  their  houses  whenever  the  necessi- 
ties of  their  souls  required  it.  His  intimacy  with 
all  sorts  of  persons  produced  innumerable  conver- 
sions; and  the  greater  the  sinner,  the  more  did  he 
endeavor  to  show  him  attention  and  kindness. 
At  first,  so  far  from  expressing  horror  of  their 
loathsomeness,  he  did  not  so  much  as  seem  mr- 
prised  at  it;  but  when  once  he  had  them  ir  hi§ 

52* 


THE  LIFE  OF 


0i8 

own  hands,  ho  probed  their  wounds  so  lightly,  ysA 
so  effectively,  that  he  completely  cured  them  of 
their  brutalizing  propensities,  and  led  them  from  a 
life  of  guilt  to  a life,  first  of  penance,  and  then  of 
sanctity.  All  this  was  accomplished  so  gently,  so 
smoothly,  that  the  change  was  scarcely  perceptible 
in  its  progress  to  the  individuals  themselves;  and, 
when  it  was  effected,  they  asked  themselves  in 
astonishment  how  it  had  been  done.  The  conse- 
quence was,  none  could  ever  grumble  or  find  fault 
with  him.  Then,  again,  his  authority,  his  dignity, 
and  his  humility  were  so  imposing  that  scarcely 
any  one  could  refuse  him  whatever  he  might  ask 
Wherever  Le  went,  and  wherever  he  was,  he  was 
wholly  occupied  in  the  service  of  God,  everywhere 
gaining  the  souls  of  sinners  by  the  grace  of  the 
holy  spirit  dwelling  in  him,  by  the  sweetness  of 
his  manner,  and  by  the  example  of  his  saintly 

The  following  is  an  instance  of  his  irresistible 
power  of  persuasion.  A certain  man,  who  had 
been  long  living  in  sin,  was  urged  by  Xavier  to 
purify  his  conscience  by  a sincere  confession : he 
refused  positively,  but  was  afterward  so  tortured 
by  the  regret  of  having  resisted  such  a man  that 
ne  could  neither  eat  nor  sleep,  till,  with  tears  in 
his  eyes,  he  went  and  threw  himself  at  the  saint’s 
feet,  entreating  him  to  re-ceive  his  confession. 

His  freedom  with  soldiers,  sailors,  and  all  kinds 
of  people — this  fashion  of  making  himself  all  to  all 
— sometimes  led  to  a strange  misapprehension  of 
his  character,  as  the  following  instance  will  show 
A noble  Portuguese  named  Horogna  had  heard  so 
sauch  of  Xavier  that  he  had  long  been  wishing  to 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


6U 


become  acquainted  with  him,  and  happened  to  b.i 
his  fellow-passenger  in  one  or  other  of  his  voyages, 
He  showed  great  delight  on  being  informed  that 
Xavier  was  on  board,  and  eagerly  inquired  whir;, 
was  the  saint,  pointing  to  a large  group  before 
him.  Great  was  his  astonishment  at  beholding, 
engaged  in  some  common  occupation,  one  whom 
he  had  fancied  to  himself  as  a man  wholly  belong- 
ing to  another  world;  a man,  in  fine,  who  neither 
ate,  drank,  nor  slept  in  the  same  wa}T  as  ordinary 
mortals;  a man  wholly  abstracted,  wholly  recol- 
lected within  himself;  one  who  “whether  in  the  body, 
or  out  of  the  body,  God  knoweth  a man  who  could 
never  speak  or  be  seen  in  public  but  to  work  a 
miracle  or  preach.  Such  is  the  expectation  usually 
formed  of  saints  by  persons  who  have  not  a right 
understanding  of  the  things  of  God.  Xavier,  or 
the  contrary,  might  perhaps  be  seen  playing  a* 
draughts  with  one  of  the  most  dissolute  of  the 
crew,  to  Norogna’s  great  horror,  who,  turning  to 
a friend,  exclaimed,  “ Is  this  the  man  you  call  a 
saint?  I cannot  believe  it:  to  me  he  appears  a 
priest,  but  certainly  nothing  more.”  He  adhered 
to  this  opinion,  in  spite  of  all  that  his  friend  Don 
Peter  di  Castro  (then  on  board,  and  who  was  well 
aware  of  Xavier’s  real  character)  could  say  to  the 
contrary;  P'j  whenever  he  looked  after  him,  as  he 
often  did,  tie  was  sure  to  see  him  talking  either 
with  some  of  the  soldiers  or  sailors.  During  the 
voyage,  they  touched  somewhere  on  the  coast  of 
Malabar  to  take  in  water.  Most  of  the  passengers 
went  ashore,  and  Xavier  among  the  rest,  who  set 
off  in  the  direction  of  a neighboring  wood.  God 
*o  disposed  that  Norogna  should  be  watching  him 


THE  LIFE  OF 


C&O 

at  this  moment,  with  more  surprise  and  curiosity 
than  respect.  He  said  to  himself,  “What  in  the 
world  can  he  be  going  to  do  in  that  wood  ?”  and, 
being  resolved  to  fathom  what  seemed  so  myste- 
rious to  him,  he  ordered  one  or  uis  servants  to 
follow  the  saint,  to  watch  his  conduct,  and  then  to 
give  him  an  account  of  whatever  he  might  see. 
The  man  obeyed,  and  with  some  difficulty  secured 
a suitable  position.  The  saint  had  penetrated  as 
far  as  possible  into  the  thicket,  and  was  on  his  knees 
in  prayer.  The  spy  observed  that  his  face  shone 
with  surprising  brilliancy;  his  eyes  were  im- 
movably fixed  on  heaven;  his  body  was  raised 
considerably  from  the  ground,  his  ecstatic  prayer 
continuing  whilst  he  was  thus  suspended  in  the 
air.  In  utter  bewilderment  the  man  ran  off  to  cat* 
his  master,  who,  accompanied  by  many  others,, 
hastened  to  verify  with  their  own  eyes  the  strange 
statement  of  the  servant.  They  found  Xavier  pre- 
cisely as  described  by  the  man,  and  utterly  uncon- 
sious  of  their  approach.  Norogna  was  now  quite 
satisfied  that  Xavier  was  something  more  than  an 
ordinary  priest,  and  that  he  was  a saint.  If  he 
had  before  been  ui  willing  to  believe  that  they  had 
an  apostle  with  them  on  board,  now  at  least  he  de- 
clared there  was  an  angel  before  their  eyes  in  the 
wood.  From  thenceforward  he  honored  him  as 
much  as  he  had  previously  slighted  him*. 

The  very  pagans  loved  him,  when  they  noticed 
his  wonderful  innocence  of  life,  his  affability  to- 
ward others,  and  his  severity  to  himself, — re- 
vering him  as  a man  descended  from  heaven,  to 
use  their  own  expression. 

In  Japan,  where  he  adapted  himself  to  the  intel* 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  621 

iectual  inclination  of  his  hearers,  he  would  dis- 
course with  them  on  the  measurement  of  the 
heavenly  bodies,  of  the  order  of  the  planets,  of 
the  cause  of  eclipses,  of  the  atmospheric  pheno- 
mena of  the  winds,  thunder,  lightning,  hail,  snow, 
and  other  similar  things  wholly  unknown  to  them, 
yet  always  mingling  with  these  topics  some  appo- 
site remarks  on  the  power  of  the  God  who  created 
and  of  His  providence  which  directs  the  world. 
This  affability  on  his  part  won  him  their  respect 
and  esteem;  and  they  were  very  frequently  heard 
to  say  that  they  could  remain  forever  in  the  com- 
pany of  the  learned  European  bonze,  without  feel- 
ing wearied  or  annoyed. 

So  far  we  have  dwelt  chiefly  on  the  manner 
rather  than  on  the  effects  of  his  amiability  to- 
ward sinners, — an  amiability  assumed  for  no  other 
purpose  than  that  of  gaining  them  to  God : we 
will  therefore  give  an  instance  or  two  of  the  latter, 
in  addition  to  those  already  dispersed  throughout 
this  work. 

There  was  a merchant  living  in  one  of  the  islands 
bordering  on  China,  whose  life  was  notoriously 
scandalous.  The  saint,  happening  to  meet  with 
him,  saluted  him  very  cordially,  and  then  began 
in  a joking  manner  to  complain  that,  whereas  so 
many  of  his  friends  invited  him  to  dinner,  this 
one  never  did:  “so  this  is  a sign/'  said  he,  “that 
you  do  not  reckon  me  among  your  friends.  At 
all  events,  I am  sure  you  will  not  refuse  to  the  de- 
mands of  poverty  what  you  might  refuse  from 
want  of  friendship.  Will  you  have  the  heart  to 
refuse  me  half  a roll  ?”  The  merchant,  who  would 
never  have  ventured  to  ask  him  tc  his  table, 


622 


THE  LIFE  OF 


answered,  honestly  and  civilly,  that  if  he  were 
worthy  of  receiving  Father  Francis  he  should 
.ndced  esteem  it  a great  favor.  This  was  precisely 
what  the  saint  wanted : he  at  once  accepted  the 
offer  and  fixed  the  day.  The  dinner  was  sumptu- 
ous and  abundant;  but  Xavier  praised  the  cooker^ 
most  of  all,  appeared  to  relish  his  dinner  as  he  had 
never  done  before,  blessed  the  hands  that  had  so 
veil  cooked  it,  &c.  The  host,  who  did  not  see 
through  the  mystery,  was  highly  gratified.  In 
due  time,  Xavier  rose  to  take  his  leave,  and,  after 
courteously  thanking  the  gentleman,  expressed  a 
wish  to  see  and  thank  the  cook  who  had  taken 
such  pains  to  gratify  his  palate, — whereupon  an 
ill-favored  Japanese  made  her  appearance.  She 
was  a slave,  professedly  a Christian,  but  one  whose 
life  was  a disgrace  to  her  religion.  He  praised  th6 
good  dinner  she  had  served  up,  exhorted  her  to  be 
steady  and  industrious,  and  to  serve  her  master 
faithfully,  who  would  no  doubt  remunerate  her 
much  better  than  she  expected.  Then,  without 
explaining  himself  any  further,  he  went  away. 
Not  long  afterward  he  again  met  the  same  mer- 
chant;  and,  after  the  usual  greetings  and  a few 
unimportant  remarks,  the  saint  asked  him  how 
that  capital  cook  of  his  was  going  on.  Without 
the  slightest  suspicion,  the  other  answered  that 
she  was  quite  well.  “ Oh,”  rejoined  Xavier,  “how 
much  I wish  I could  reward  her  for  cooking  me 
such  a good  dinner!  but  I am  so  poor  that  I really 
have  nothing  to  bestow,  unless  it  be  from  your 
funds,  if  I might  venture  to  beg  an  alms  of  you.” 
The  merchant  immediately  began  to  assure  him 
that  Father  Francis  had  full  liberty  over  all  ho 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER  622 

possessed,  with  a number  of  other  fine  speoches, 
but  all  really  said  in  full  sincerity.  Nor  were  his 
words  fairer  than  his  acts;  for  when  the  saint  had 
brought  him  to  this  point  he  said,  “Very  well: 
give  that  slave  her  liberty,  and  consign  her  to  me; 
I will  secure  a suitable  position  for  her:  your  soul 
and  hers  too  will  be  all  the  better  from  this  arrange- 
ment. God  will  reward  you  for  the  charity  you 
have  shown  me,  by  giving  you  the  premium  of 
everlasting  salvation,  which  I am  sure  you  value 
more  highly  than  the  price  of  a poor  slave.”  The 
merchant’s  eyes  were  now  opened;  he  saw  through 
the  saint’s  object  in  seeking  the  invitation  to  his 
table,  in  praising  the  viands,  and  in  noticing  the 
cook.  To  use  a homely  proverb,  he  saw  that  Xa- 
vier meant  to  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone,  or, 
rather,  to  win  two  souls  to  God  which  otherwise 
would  probably  have  perished.  He  was  most 
deeply  affected  by  the  charity  of  the  holy  father, 
and  readily  entered  into  all  his  views  and  wishes. 

But  I should  never  end  if  I undertook  to  nar- 
rate in  detail  the  many  incidents  of  a similar 
nature  which  occurred  to  Xavier.  They  were 
numberless;  and,  though  the  means  used  to  effect 
his  purpose  varied,  his  object  and  his  engaging 
charity  were  ever  the  same. 

A rich  man,  named  Velloso,  lived  at  Malacca, 
leading  a most  profligate  and  disgraceful  life.  Xa- 
vier, who  had  long  had  his  eye  upon  him,  followed 
and  overtook  him  one  Sunday  as  he  descended 
from  the  pulpit.  After  a few  kind  words  on  either 
Bide,  the  gentleman  began  to  praise  his  sermon. 
“My  lord,”  interposed  the  saint,  “fine  as  your 
praises  are,  they  are  of  little  use  to  a poor  fasting 


624 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  \v, aried  preache.'  uke  myself.  Your  table 
would  be  much  more  to  the  purpose  than  your 
words.”  The  other  supposed  him  to  be  jesting; 
yet  he  could  not  civilly  avoid  making  an  invita- 
tion which,  if  accepted,  v juld  put  him  to  shame. 
Be  began  by  making  excuses,  as  being  unprepared; 
tu>t  he  could  wish  to  prepare  a fitting  dinner  for 
such  a guest,  and  so  forth, — concluding,  in  a suL 
dued  tone,  that,  if  he  could  put  up  with  what  he 
found,  he  was  truly  welcome  to  it.  The  saint, 
who  wanted  nothing  but  the  invitation,  eagerly 
accepted  it.  In  fine,  to  say  all  in  a few  words,  he 
made  such  good  use  of  his  time,  gained  such  an 
ascendency  over  the  mind  of  his  noble  host,  and 
worked  upon  it  so  effectually,  that  by  degrees  he 
corrected  all  his  vicious  propensities,  renounced  all 
further  intercourse  with  his  wicked  associates, 
made  a general  confession  to  the  saint,  and  began 
a new  life;  and,  as  Almighty  God  is  ever  liberal  to 
those  who  make  great  sacrifices  for  his  sake,  he 
filled  the  soul  of  our  good  Yelloso  with  such  abun- 
dant consolations  that  he  had  no  occasion  to  regret 
the  sensuai  gratifications  which  he  had  renounced. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  these  results  of  his 
incomparable  charity  cost  the  holy  father  nothing 
more  than  words.  He  did  not  enter  upon  such 
important  negotiations  with  men  until  he  had  con- 
cluded and  made  his  bargains  with  God, — watching 
whole  nights  in  prayer,  scourging  himself,  shedding 
floods  of  tears,  and  using  other  instruments  of  pe- 
nance. On  more  than  one  occasion  has  be  been 
reduced  to  death’s  door  by  the  macerations  and 
austerities  to  which  he  has  subjected  himself  for 
the  conversion  of  some  obstinate  sinner.  Ever 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  626 

when  he  had  brought  these  sinners  to  his  feet  and 
had  received  their  confessions,  they  were  still  the 
subjects  of  his  penances;  for  he  imposed  some  light 
penance  upon  them,  acquitting  the  remainder  of 
their  debt  upon  his  own  poor  shoulders  and  with 
his  own  blood.  If  it  so  happened  that  he  met  with 
any  desperate  character,  impervious  alike  to  rea- 
soning, entreaty,  or  threats,  he  would  not  on  this 
account,  give  him  up,  awaiting  him  in  patience  and 
in  hope;  going  in  search  of  those  who  fled,  and, 
when  found,  welcoming  them  more  cordially  than 
ever, — proving  to  them  that  his  arms  were  ever 
open  to  receive  them.  We  have  already  stated 
that  when  he  quitted  Ternate  for  Araboyna  he 
only  left  two  persons  in  the  island  whom  he  knew 
to  be  in  mortal  sin.  The  first  ship  which  sailed 
from  xlmboyna  to  Ternate  conveyed  letters  from 
him  to  one  of  his  friends,  requesting  him  to  present 
his  kind  respects  to  those  two,  and  to  tell  them 
from  him  that  he  was  ready  to  return  thither  ai 
any  moment  to  hear  their  confessions. 

As  it  was  as  much  his  object  to  maintain  souls 
in  a good  state  as  to  win  them  from  a bad  one,  he 
was  assiduous  in  providing  them  with  remedies  to 
prevent  future  relapses.  To  the  better-informed 
classes  he  gave  the  spiritual  exercises  of  his  blessed 
Father  Ignatius;  though,  generally  speaking,  the 
exercitants  were  chiefly  confined  to  the  first  week 
To  those  who  had  been  unfortunate  in  life — for 
instance,  merchants  who  had  been  ruined  by  specu- 
lations or  shipwrecks,  or  Government  officials  (of 
whom  India  was  full)  who  had  been  displaced  by 
the  envy  of  rivals — he  recommended  the  election 
of  a new  state;  teaching  them  to  look  up  to  and 
2P  53 


626 


THE  LIFE  OF 


serve  a Master  who  can  discern  the  merit  of  his 
servants,  and  who  can  reward  them  with  treasures 
beyond  the  power  either  of  tempests  or  of  malice, 
— treasures  which  “ thieves  cannot  steal,  nor  rust 
or  moths  consume/' 

Tious  souls  found  no  greater  consolation  than  in 
conversation  with  him;  nevertheless,  he  knew  how 
to  introduce  a word  of  discreet  rigor  when  re- 
quisite, or  when  he  wished  to  excite  a tear.  To 
a certain  lady  of  holy  life,  who  accused  herself  in 
confession  of  some  degree  of  levity,  he  said,  “You 
deserve  not  that  God  should  look  upon  you,  since 
by  37our  levity  you  expose  yourself  to  the  risk  of 
not  seeing  God/'  This  was  quite  enough  : she 
never  again  needed  such  a reproof. 

From  the  two  virtues  relating  to  God  and  his 
neighbor,  which  raised  the  soul  of  our  holy  Father 
Francis  to  so  eminent  a degree  of  perfection,  let 
us  pass  on  to  the  consideration  of  others,  which, 
more  restricted  to  himself,  perfected  him  both  in 
his  own  self  and  in  the  estimation  of  his  religious 
brethren.  First  of  all,  his  humility,  which,  in  a 
man  of  such  note,  was  absolutely  wonderful ; for, 
as  St.  Bernard  justly  remarks,  “honored  humility 
is  a great  and  rare  virtue/'  When  Almighty  God 
by  the  evidence  of  continued  and  stupendous  mi- 
racles, and  when  men  by  their  extrinsic  demonstra- 
tions of  esteem  and  honor,  concur  in  raising  any 
one  to  fame,  should  he,  notwithstanding  all  this, 
measure  himself  only  by  his  knowledge  of  himself, 
of  his  own  miserable  frailty,  of  his  own  nothing- 
ness, and  of  the  vileness  of  his  sins, — if,  amidst  the 
honors  to  which  he  is  raised,  he  looks  upon  him 
Belf  not  as  greater,  but  as  less,  than  others, — such 


SAINT  V RAN  CIS  XAVIER. 


627 


a man  possesses  rare  and  admirable  humility.  Now 
with  regard  to  St.  Francis  Xavier,  throughout  the 
East  no  one  was  so  much  spoken  of  as  him:  he 
was  revered  even  by  the  pagans  as  a man  of  heaven, 
(they  called  him  the  god  of  the  wTorld;)  -wherever 
he  made  his  appearance,  ports  and  ships  saluted 
him  with  salvos  of  artillery,  cities  and  villages 
alike  poured  forth  their  inhabitants  to  meet  an, 
greet  him;  hymns  were  sung,  garments  wei* 
spread  in  his  path ; men  raised  him  aloft  and 
bore  him  as  in  triumph  on  their  shoulders.  Idol- 
atrous kings  surnamed  him  the  great  father,  the 
wonder-worker,  the  saint.  So  great  was  his  do- 
minion over  nature,  that  it  was  commonly  said, 
“It  is  a miracle  when  Father  Francis  works  no 
miracle.”  When  to  all  this  we  add,  as  we  justly 
ought,  the  merit  of  his  toils,  wanderings,  ship- 
wrecks, sufferings  from  heat,  cold,  hunger,  and 
thirst,  his  persecutions,  wounds,  and  exposure  to 
death  in  all  directions, — when  we  cast  a glimpse 
on  the  innumerable  islands  and  kingdoms  which, 
previous  to  his  day,  knew  not  God,  and  then  count 
up  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  converts  baptized 
by  his  own  hand, — when  we  see  the  boundaries 
of  the  Church  thus  widened  by  him,  and  yet, 
amidst  all  these  subjects  of  exultation,  to  see  him 
yet  more  and  more  profoundly  annihilate  himsf 
within  himself,  to  be  lost  as  it  were  to  his 
sight,  seeing  nothing  in  himself  but  a subject  of 
self-abasement  and  confusion, — this,  yes,  this  is 
the  measure  of  the  humility  of  St.  Francis  Xavier. 
His  humility  vanquishes  even  his  merits.  The 
success  attendant  on  his  labors  in  the  service 
of  souls  was  by  him  ascribed  to  the  merits  and 


628 


THE  LIFE  OF 


prayers  of  his  brethren.  “Your  prayers,”  sav* 
he,  in  a letter  to  the  fathers  at  Rome,  “have  un- 
doubtedly obtained  for  me  light  from  God,  to  see 
and  know  the  infinite  multitude  of  my  sins;  not- 
withstanding which,  I feel  all  the  more  encouraged 
to  labor  indefatigably  among  these  idolaters.” 

Peter  Ordonez  Chevallio,  who  travelled  all 
x'ound  the  world,  tells  us  that  he  met  with  a Chris- 
tian in  some  part  of  Asia  who,  giving  him  an 
account  of  himself,  made  the  following  curious 
statement: — “You  must  know  that  I am  a Japan- 
ese, and  was  a bonze  by  profession.  Once,  in 
a council  of  the  bonzes,  the  wonders  wrought  by 
Father  Francis  Xavier  formed  the  topic  of  dis- 
cussion ; and  it  was  then  decreed  that  he  should 
be  ranked  among  the  gods:  the  bonzes  accordingly 
sent  him  a notification  of  their  design.  Instead 
of  exulting  in  so  distinguished  an  honor,  the 
father  expressed  the  greatest  horror  of  it,  and 
gave  utterance  to  the  most  sublime  praises  of  the 
one  true  and  living  God,  speaking  in  the  most 
lowly  and  contemptuous  terms  of  himself.  His 
answer  to  us  made  a deep  impression : many  of 
us,  reflecting  on  his  words,  and  much  more  on  his 
works,  changed  from  being  priests  of  the  idols  into 
worshippers  of  Jesus  Christ.”  Such  was  the  nar- 
rative of  the  converted  bonze,  and  such  was  the 
effect  of  the  humility  of  Father  Francis. 

He  used  to  declare  it  to  be  a miracle  of  divine 
goodness  that  the  most  unworthy  man  on  earth, 
as  he  st'  led  himself,  should  be  made  serviceable 
to  the  cause  of  God ; but  that  it  was  so  permitted 
in  ov  der  that  others  of  greater  virtue  might  be 
encouraged  to  engage  in  the  conversion  of  infidels; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  629 

for  that  no  one  need  despair  when  they  naw  one 
bo  deficient  as  he  himself  was,  laboring  with 
success  in  the  Lord’s  vineyard. 

Whenever  he  was  planning  the  conversion  of 
any  new  kingdom,  he  would  write  even  to  Europe, 
to  his  brethren  there,  soliciting  their  advice,  as 
if  he  was  a mere  novice.  In  one  of  these  letters 
he  thus  writes: — “I  am  preparing  to  set  out  on 
the  task  of  converting  some  pagan  and  Moorish 
populations  : for  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  I beseech 
you  to  write  and  tell  me  how  I had  best  proceed 
and  wThat  plan  I ought  to  follow;  for  I am  quite 
certain  that  Almighty  God  will  suggest  to  your 
minds,  and  you  will  dictate  to  me,  the  means  best 
adapted  for  winning  them  over  to  Christianity. 
Should  I,  before  the  receipt  of  your  letters,  un- 
fortunately enter  upon  a wrong  path,  I shall  hope 
to  be  admonished  and  corrected  by  them.”  In  the 
same  spirit  of  humility,  he  recommended  himself 
to  the  prayers  of  the  children,  especially  those 
belonging  to  the  Fishery  Coast.  In  like  manner, 
he  always  attributed  his  preservation  from  ship- 
wreck at  sea,  and  other  dangers  on  land,  to  the 
merits  of  his  good  mother  the  Society, — feeling 
assured  that  God  spared  him  on  these  occa- 
sions only  in  consideration  of  the  prayers  of  his 
brethren. 

Whenever  any  of  his  pious  projects  failed,  as  in 
the  cases  of  the  chastisement  of  the  King  of  Jafa- 
natapan  and  the  Chinese  embassy,  he  invariably 
ascribed  the  failure  to  his  own  sins,  never  to  the 
malice  of  others, — accusing  himself  before  God 
ae  the  sole  culprit,  and  deploring  the  defeat  of  His 
63* 


680 


THE  LIFE  OF 


work  through  the  fault  of  the  unworthy  work- 
man. 

As  for  the  miracles  which  he  wrought,  he  de- 
clared they  were  owing  to  the  faith  of  the  pious 
petitioners,  or  the  innocence  of  the  children  whose 
prayers  he  engaged,  to  serve  as  a cloak  to  his 
own  good  deeds.  When,  in  face  of  some  stu- 
pendous miracle,  the  crowd  unanimously  shouted 
out,  “ A miracle  ! a miracle !”  he  would  strive  to 
slip  away  and  hide  himself;  or,  if  escape  was  im- 
possible, he  would  bury  himself  as  it  were  in  the 
deep  recesses  of  his  own  nothingness,  where  not 
an  atom  of  the  people’s  praise  and  honor  could 
gain  admission. 

His  humility  seemed  in  a manner  to  blind  him, 
so  that  he  did  not  see  or  understand  what  really 
was  miraculous, — as  was  shown  in  the  instance 
of  the  dead  boy  restored  to  life  on  the  coast  of 
Comorin. 

The  usual  subject  of  his  letters  and  familiar 
discourses  to  the  fathers  was  the  knowledge  and 
contempt  of  self:  nor  would  he  be  satisfied  with 
a mere  speculative  knowledge  of  self;  he  wrould 
have  it  practical ; he  would  have  public  acts  of 
humiliation;  and  here  he  was  their  master  by 
example  far  more  than  by  precept.  He  was  con- 
tinually seen  in  the  hospitals,  making  beds,  cleansing 
foul  vessels,  washing  feet,  dressing  wounds,  lifting 
the  most  loathsome  lepers ; and  this  he  called  his 
heart’s  delight;  and  such  in  truth  it  was,  as  was 
evident  from  the  joy  with  which  he  undertook  it. 
Frequently,  too,  was  he  seen  with  slaves  and 
prisoners;  with  the  poor,  especialty  poor  children, 
singing  with  them  in  the  streets,  collecting  money 


SAUT  FRANCtB  XAVIER  (jbi 

and  food  for  them,  and  sometimes  partaking  of 
the  latter  with  them. 

The  true  lover  of  holy  poverty,  his  clothes  were 
usually  so  patched  and  faded  that  the  children  of 
the  idolaters  mocked  and  insulted  him  on  this  ao 
count.  He  mended  his  clothes  with  his  own  handa, 
nor  would  he  ever  change  his  habit  till  it  was 
so  tattered  as  no  longer  to  hang  together  on  his 
back. 

When  he  returned  from  Japan  to  Malacca  and 
Goa,  and  was  received  with  such  marks  of  honor, 
he  wore  such  a patched  habit  and  such  an  old  torn 
hat  that  no  mendicant  would  have  thanked  him  for 
them  : nevertheless,  these  were  the  sole  riches  he 
brought  with  him  from  those  distant  regions. 
When  he  was  at  Goa,  he  never  wore  any  thing 
better  than  a coarse  canvas  tunic,  without  a 
cloak.  His  poor  wardrobe  was  often  noticed,  and 
many  were  the  offers  of  his  pious  friends  to  fn** 
nish  him  with  a supply  «»f  clothing;  but  never 
could  they  induce  him  to  accept  so  much  as  a vest 
a little  less  tattered  than  his  own.  A cheat  once 
effected  w*hat  entreaty  could  not : unperceived  by 
him,  his  old  tuni’c  was  carried  off  in  the  night  and 
a better  one  substituted  in  its  place:  the  saint, 
whose  mind  was  wholly  absoi  bed  in  God,  dressed 
himself  without  noticing  the  change;  but  in  the 
evening,  happening  to  be  at  supper  with  Francis 
Paiva  and  some  others  who  were  parties  to  the 
trick,  Pa’iva  began  to  examine  his  dress  somewhat 
narrowly,  as  if  in  surprise,  and  then  told  the  saint 
what  had  been  done : he  blushed  on  perceiving 
himself  so  much  better  dressed  than  he  would 
have  wisned,  but  turned  it  off  with  a smile,  saying 


632 


THE  LIFE  OF 


UV  is  scarcely  to  be  wondered  at  that  whoever 
came  for  this  good  habit  in  the  middle  of  the  night 
should  have  taken  in  mistake  that  one  of  which  I 
am  no  longer  worthy.” 

All  the  furniture  of  his  chamber  consisted  in 
nothing  more  than  a narrow  bed, — that  is  to  say, 
a frame-work  interlaced  with  ropes  pretty  wide 
apart,  without  either  mattress  or  pillow ; a small, 
worm-eaten  table,  with  a few  books  and  manu- 
scripts upon  it,  a crucifix  made  of  wood  from  St. 
Thomas,  and  at  the  foot  of  it  was  a stone  on  which 
he  rested  his  head  more  frequently  than  on  his  bed 
during  the  two  or  three  hours  allowed  for  sleep. 
His  chief  treasures  were  his  weapons  of  penance^ 
his  hair  shirts,  disciplines,  and  iron  chains : he  had 
one  chain-discipline  garnished  with  sharp  rowels, 
and  with  this  he  used  fearfully  to  lacerate  his 
shoulders.  No  doubt  he  treated  himself  with  this 
holy  cruelty  in  fear  and  distrust  of  self ; like  St. 
Paul,  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  he  dreaded  lest 
“ whilst  he  preached  to  others  he  himself  might  be 
cast  away.” 

And  yet,  if  we  look  only  to  the  needed  chastise* 
ment  of  his  body,  this  excessive  rigor  seems  un- 
called for.  We  know  from  positive  testimony, 
^specially  the  Vicar  of  Meliapore  and  John  Liz- 
zano,  who  heard  his  confessions,  that  he  undoubt- 
edly lived  and  died  a virgin.  It  is  the  opinion  of 
many  that  the  incorruption  of  his  body  since  his 
death  is  a strong  confirmation  of  the  above  testi- 
mony. and  that  it  is  likewise  the  reward  of  his 
unsuined  purity.  To  this  must  be  added  the  law- 
ful attestation  of  his  confessors,  that  in  none  of  his 


fc>.  1 1 N T FRANCIS  XAVIER.  633 

confessions  did  the  faults  acknowledged  ever  in- 
clude a deliberate  venial  sin. 

He  was  exceedingly  reserved  and  discreet  in  his 
conduct  when  females  were  in  question;  and,  un- 
less with  a view  to  their  conversion,  he  shunned 
their  company  as  much  as  possible,  conversing 
with  them  seldom  and  briefly. 

But  to  return  to  his  austerities,  which  were  no 
more  hab^.ual  to  him  during  what  we  call  his 
short  inter  als  of  respite — that  is  to  say,  whilst 
he  resided  in  the  colleges  of  Goa,  Malacca,  and 
Cochin — than  in  the  very  height  of  toils,  journeys, 
and  all  that  he  had  to  go  through  in  converting 
idolaters,  and  in  the  other  difficulties  of  his  apos- 
tolic ministry.  When  he  was  at  sea,  the  cable 
was  his  pillow  and  the  bare  deck  his  couch : if, 
when  ashore,  he  sought  a more  luxurious  lesti^g- 
place,  he  threw  himself  on  the  sands,  w th  the 
heavens  for  his  canopy.  He  fasted  for  tvvo  and 
three  successive  days,  and  he  has  been  known  to 
nass  a whole  week  without  taking  so  much  as  a 
mouthful : indeed,  his  allowance  of  food  was  at  all 
times  so  sparing,  that  one  of  his  companions  tells 
us  the  measure  of  it  for  the  whole  day,  sometimes, 
would  not  have  amounted  to  the  value  of  a farthing. 
His  diet  when  on  the  Coast  of  Fishery  is  thr* 
described  by  an  eye-witness: — ‘‘Wine  he  nevei 
touched;  wheaten  bread  he  never  tasted,  unless  he 
^s  invited  to  the  tables  of  the  Portuguese;  for  then, 
shunning  all  singularity,  he  took  what  was  put 
nefore  him.  When  he  was  alone,  or  with  his  own 
people,  he  took  a little  ill-prepared  rice,  or  fish,  or 
a little  plain  milk  : on  great  solemnities  he  would 
order  a rice  cake  to  be  baked,  reminding  his  com- 


634 


•tfffE  LIFE  OF 


panions  to  thank  God  for  such  a delicacy,  and  not 
to  eat  more  of  it  than  was  necessary  to  maintain 
strength  to  be  able  to  labor  in  his  divine  service. 
But  during  the  two  years  and  a half  that  he  spent 
in  Japan,  he  abstained  even  from  fish,  in  order  that 
the  bonzes  might  not  boast  of  practising  greater 
austerities  than  the  ministers  of  the  gospel.  The 
remembrance  of  his  self-denial  still  lingered  in 
Japan  even  when  Father  Hugnez  went  there;  for, 
among  other  particulars,  the  natives  told  him  that 
Father  Francis  used  to  live  on  certain  wild  herbs, 
so  exceedingly  bitter  that  they  themselves  could 
scarcely  bear  to  taste  them,  ana  tnat  in  the  depth 
of  winter  he  wore  nothing  but  an  old  patched  robe, 
which,  though  it  sufficed  to  cover  his  limbs,  was  no 
defence  against  the  cold.  He  used  o'  :asionally  to 
retire  for  a week  or  two  to  some  solitary  cave  or 
uninhabited  island,  abandoning  himself  entirely  to 
fasting  and  otner  austerities.” 

Such  was  Father  Francis  Xavier, — all  severity 
and  rigor  to  himself;  continually  crucifying  his 
body  as  if  it  were  a rebellious  enemy,  "which  it  was 
not:  on  the  contrary,  it  was  an  obedient  servant, 
and  the  faithful  companion  of  his  noble  soul  in  all 
the  generous  enterprises  which  he  undertook  for 
the  greater  glory  of  God. 

Toward  his  religious  brethren,  over  whom,  as 
provincial,  he  was  the  superior,  he  felt  more  than 
the  tender  charity  of  a father.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  the  mission  of  Ormuz,  he  sent  none  of  his 
companions  to  any  place  which  had  not  first  been 
visited  and  examined  by  himself;  so  careful  was 
he  to  measure  each  one’s  field  of  labor  according 
V>  bis  capabilities  of  mind  and  body.  He  desired 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER 


eact*  one  to  send  him  minute  details  of  every  thin^ 
connected  with  his  mission,  as  well  to  mature  his 
judgment  by  the  experience  of  others  as  to  in- 
crease or  diminish  their  sphere  of  labor  as  circum- 
stances might  require. 

A certain  religious  man,  speaking  to  Fathot 
Perez  of  Xavier,  blamed  his  perpetual  journeys, 
adding,  “ TJnquestionablv  Father  Francis  is  a holv 
man,  but  he  would  be  r'  ore  holy  if  he  travelled 
less.”  The  good  man  for-ot  that  he  had  been  sent 
to  the  Indies  by  the  sovereign  Pontiff  to  act  as 
apostolic  nuncio  both  in  Asia  and  in  Africa.  Perez, 
however,  repeated  the  remark  to  Xavier,  who  ex- 
pressed great  gratitude  for  the  interest  thus  shown 
toward  him  by  the  religious,  but  said  he  could  not 
act  otherwise  than  he  did;  assigning  many  weighty 
reasons,  of  which  we  only  mention  one, — namely, 
that  he  could  not  and  ought  not  blindly  to  dispose 
of  his  brethren,  nor  send  them  to  labor  for  the 
salvation  of  others  in  places  where  they  would  be 
likely  to  risk  their  own.  Certain  talents  of  virtue 
and  nature  were  requisite  in  one  place  and  not  in 
another;  that  one  judged  very  differently  of  places 
and  things  at  a distance  from  what  they  might  be 
in  reality;  and  that  in  these  things  actual  expe- 
rience was  the  safest  guide. 

He  was  most  compassionate  in  consoling,  and 
most  anxious  in  providing  for  the  necessities  of, 
his  sick  or  infirm  subjects.  Once,  on  his  return 
to  Goa  after  a long  absence,  he  found  one  of  the 
brothers  at  the  point  of  death.  He  hurried  to 
the  infirmary,  embraced  him,  made  the  sign  of 
the  cross  on  his  forehead,  made  a short  prayer, 
and  cured  him 


636 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Still  more  tenderly  did  he  treat  tempted  souls 
Father  Anthony  Yaz  relates  of  himself  that  during 
his  novitiate,  whilst  he  was  alike  young  in  age  and 
in  virtue,  he  was  strongly  tempted  by  the  devil  to 
return  to  the  world.  So  incessant  and  so  violent 
were  the  assaults  that  at  last  he  yielded  and  de- 
cided on  going  away.  The  holy  father,  becoming 
aware  of  this,  called  him,  and  very  affectionately 
said  to  him  these  tew  words  : — “ Child  ! do  yon 
really  wish  to  leave  us?”  These  few  words  dis- 
pelled the  charm  : his  heart  was  at  once  entirely 
changed,  and  neither  then  nor  afterward,  to  the 
end  of  his  long  life,  was  he  ever  troubled  with  a 
thought  of  inconstancy  on  the  subject. 

He  introduced  a custom  which  contributed  much 
to  strengthen  the  vocation  of  his  young  religious 
and  to  attach  them  still  more  closely  to  the  Society. 
Instead  of  reading  in  the  Kefectory  during  table, 
he  made  each  one  in  turn  relate  the  ways  and 
means  used  by  Divine  Providence  in  drawing  him 
from  the  world  to  religion,  mingling  with  the  facts 
of  the  narrative  considerations  of  affection  and 
gratitude  to  God,  each  one  praising  and  blessing 
aim  for  so  great  a grace  in  the  manner  dictated  by 
i is  own  heart. 

There  were  some  who,  impelled  by  zeal  and  by 
a wish  to  emulate  the  example  of  the  holy  father. 
W3re  anxious  either  to  accompany  him  in  his  diffi- 
cu’t  enterprises,  or  to  be  employed  in  such, — ima- 
gii  ing  they  only  lost  their  time  where  they  were 
- — and  asking  to  be  removed  either  to  more  arduous 
or  nore  ample,  or  more  cultivated  missions,  wher« 
th<  r flattered  themselves  they  should  be  more  use 
l'ul  But  he.  whilst  commending  tlie?r  generon* 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


637 


fervor,  turbed  their  indiscreet  zeal,  kindly  encou- 
raging whilst  he  gently  admonished  them,  caution- 
ing thun  against  leaving  a present  and  certain 
good  for  another  uncertain  and  distant  good, 
though  apparently  greater.  One  of  these  was 
Father  Francis  Henriquez,  a most  fervent  laborer, 
employed  on  the  coast  of  Travancore,  who,  fancy- 
ing his  labors  wasted  there,  requested  to  be  re- 
moved to  some  other  place,  where  the  harvest 
might  be  more  in  keeping  with  the  culture  of  the 
soil.  The  saint  wrote  him  a letter  full  of  solid 
spiritual  philosophy  and  therefore  worthy  of  being 
recorded  here: — 

“ How  much  more  gladly  would  I consult  with 
you  in  porsGa,  my  dearest  brother,  instead  of 
having  recourse  to  my  pen,  if  it  were  but  possible 
at  present ! I do  so  wish  to  comfort  and  encourage 
you  under  the  trials  which  you  have  to  encounter 
for  the  love  of  Christ ! Full  well  I know  you  have 
no  desire  for  those  consolations  enjoyed  by  the 
votav'-:s  of  the  world.  Their  life  is  truly  deserving 
of  our  pity;  whilst,  on  the  contrary,  we  may  envy 
those  of  whom  the  apostle  says  ‘ the  world  is  not 
worthy.’  Do  not  grieve  because  your  labors  prov« 
less  profitable  than  you  could  wish,  in  a country  so 
ill  vped,  and  under  a persecuting  king.  You  are 
effecting,  perhaps,  a great  deal  more  than  you 
imagine  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  by  baptizing 
such  a number  of  infants  as  fall  into  your  hands; 
and,  all  *hings  well  considered,  probably  there  are 
but  few  of  our  Indians,  either  blacks  or  whites,  who 
go  to  heaveu,  excepting  those  who  die  between  the 
interval  of  baptism  and  the  attainment  of  their 
fourteenth  year.  Do  you  not  perceive,  then,  my 
54 


TH  E LIFE  OF 


63* 

dearest  brother,  that  your  labors  are  more  profit* 
able  than  you  imag’ne?  How  many  infants  and 
children,  baptized  by  you,  are  already  enjoying 
God  ! Souls  which  would  have  been  irreparably 
lost,,  had  not  you  been  there  to  baptize  them.  On 
this  account,  if  for  no  other,  the  enemy  of  man- 
kind abhors  you.  For  this  reason  it  is  that  he  so 
strenuously  endeavors  to  persuade  you  to  quit  a 
territory  over  which  he  has  so  long  held  undisputed 
sway;  because  if  he  can  but  get  you  away  from 
the  kingdom  of  Travancoro,  no  more  souls  will 
thence  be  sent  to  heaven.  It  is  one  of  his  most 
insidious  artifices,  to  place  before  you  the  hope  of 
realizing  a greater  distant  good,  merely  to  arrest 
the  damage  which  your  present  labors  are  actually 
inflicting  on  his  cause.  I have  no  doubt  but  that 
your  wish  to  quit  that  coast  is  the  effect  of  his 
machinations ; but  remember  that  you  have  gained 
more  souls  to  God  by  the  baptisms  you  have  con 
ferred  on  dying  infants,  during  the  eight  years  you 
have  spent  in  these  parts,  than  you  had  in  the 
whole  course  of  your  previous  life,  either  in  Portu- 
gal or  in  the  Indies.  You  cannot,  therefore,  be 
surprised  that  the  devil  should  molest  you;  and  he 
does  it  dexterously,  too,  hoping  not  only  to  drive 
you  from  a place  where  you  do  much  good,  but  to 
send  you  to  another  place,  where  you  would  effect 
but  little. ” 

But  if  we  undertook  to  transcribe  all  the  letters 
of  the  saint,  with  a view  to  show  the  esteem, 
affection,  and  respect  with  which  he  treated  his 
religious  brethren,  we  should  exceed  all  bounds. 
Most  pressing  and  tender  were  his  letters  to  his 
dear  Father  Ignatius,  in  which  he  entreated  him 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  639 

to  allow  some  of  his  brethren  to  write  and  give 
him  the  most  minute  details  of  every  thing  con- 
nected with  the  Society;  the  number  of  the  pro- 
vinces already  established  in  Europe  as  well  as  out 
of  it;  how  far  Almighty  God  had  been  plea-sed  to 
extend  it;  how  many  colleges,  and  where;  the 
number  and  names  of  the  professed;  the  various 
qualifications  of  sanctity  and  learning  in  the  more 
distinguished  of  the  members;  assuring  St.  Igna- 
tius that  these  details  formed  the  chief  source  of 
his  solace  and  delight  under  all  his  trials,  toils,  and 
difficulties  in  Japan,  and  that  they  cheered  him 
under  the  prospect  of  those  other  and  greater  ones 
which  he  believed  awaited  him  in  China. 

He  cut  out  the  signatures  of  all  the  letters  which 
he  received  from  the  fathers  of  the  Society,  either 
in  Europe  or  the  Indies;  and  these  signatures  he 
wore  suspended  round  his  neck,  as  relics  of  holy 
men  and  as  sweet  memorials  of  consolation  to  him. 
Nor  ought  we  to  be  surprised  that  he  thus  carried 
on  his  breast  the  names  of  those  whose  image  was 
so  ineffaceably  stamped  upon  his  heart. 

He  gives  the  following  conclusion  to  a letter, 
consisting  of  many  sheets,  which  he  wrote  from 
Japan  to  his  brethren  in  India: — “I  now  conclude; 
for  if  I attempt  to  express  the  affection  of  my  soul 
for  all  of  37ou  collectively,  or  for  each  of  you  indi- 
vidually, I should  exceed  all  measure,  and  should 
never  know  when  to  end.  If  it  were  but  possible 
for  those  who  are  bound  together,  as  we  are,  by  the 
chains  of  Divine  charity, — if  we,  who  so  cordially 
love  each  other,  could  reciprocally  see  into  one  an- 
other’s hearts, — most  assuredly  you  would  all  be- 
hold your  images  impressed  and  sculptured  in  mine; 


640 


THE  L £ EE  OE 


and  3ret,  in  real  truth,  if  you  could  see  them,  you 
would  scarcely  recognise  your  own  effigies,  because 
the}'  are  sketched  according  to  the  original  of  your 
virtue;  whilst  your  humility  and  disesteem  of  self 
would  induce  you  to  consider  the  portrait  a mere 
< saggeration  instead  of  a true  copy.” 

In  another  letter  to  the  fathers  at  Rome,  he 
writes,  “ The  knot  of  charity  which  binds  our  souls 
together  is  too  tightly  drawn  to  be  unloosed,  either 
b}r  distant  bodily  separation,  or  by  the  length  of 
geograplical  limits.  We  are  now  no  longer  in 
sight  qc.  another,  as  formerly  we  were  : neverthe- 
less, I still  behold  you  : you  are  ever  present  to 
the  eye  of  my  mind.  This  is  one  of  the  blessed 
fruits  of  hoi}'  and  sincere  charity:  to  be  united, 
though  at  a distance;  to  be  able  to  maintain  union 
of  heart,  in  spite  of  separation  of  body.  And  yet, 
for  this  perpetual  remembrance  which  I have  of 
vou,  I owe  it  more  to  you  than  to  myself.  It  is 
) ou  who  by  the  power  of  your  prayers  and  sacri- 
fices, so  often  offered  for  me  a sinner,  awaken  such 
sweet  recollections  of  you  in  my  heart.  You  your- 
selves, my  beloved  brothers,  stamp  your  own  por- 
traits in  my  soul:  may  God  reward  you  for  it, 
for,  in  truth,  I am  unable  to  repay  you  as  I wish 
and  as  I ought.”  If,  as  he  expresses  it,  his  heart 
was  thus  filled  with  the  image  of  his  abseni 
bretlneu,  it  is  no  wonder  they  should  have  hauntee 
him  in  his  sleep,  as  he  says  they  did.  They  were 
then  continually  present  and  conversing  with  him, 
to  his  indeseriDable  consolation.  He  used  to  say 
that  these  nocturnal  in tei views  served  as  restora- 
tives both  to  his  body  and  mind. 

He  regularly  renewed  every  day  the  vow. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


641 


which  bound  him  to  the  Society : the  reliquary 
which  he  wore  upon  his  breast  contained  the  three 
things  which  he  most  prized  on  earth,  viz.,  a par- 
ticle of  the  bone  of  St.  Thomas  the  Apostle,  the 
autograph  of  his  beloved  Father  St.  Ignatius,  and 
his  religious  profession  in  his  own  handwriting. 
The  signatures  of  the  other  fathers,  (as  men- 
tioned above,)  though  always  worn  at  his  breast, 
were  not  enclosed  in  this  one  special  reliquary. 

We  must  not  omit  to  mention  the  deep  ardor  of 
his  affection  for  the  Society,  as  a body,  and  for 
each  individual  member  of  it.  On  his  arrival  at, 
and  departure  from,  any  of  our  colleges,  he  inva- 
riably embraced  every  one  of  the  brothers,  per- 
forming this  act  of  affection  on  his  knees.  Those 
who  arrived  from  Europe  were  received  and  wel- 
comed by  him  with  tears  of  delight.  In  his  letters 
he  commended  them  to  the  very  utmost  of  their 
deserts;  especially  when  he  had  to  announce  the 
death  of  any  one  of  them.  The  first  of  those  in 
the  Indies  who  passed  to  our  Lord  was  Brother 
Adam  Franceschi,  who  died  in  1549,  before  he  had 
received  priest’s  orders.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
fervent  laborers  employed  in  those  missions.  Xa- 
vier thus  speaks  of  him  in  a letter  to  Father  Simon 
Rodriguez: — “Our  Lord  has  been  pleased  to  sum- 
mon from  this  life  our  best-beloved  brother  Adam 
Franceschi,  to  bestow  on  him  the  reward  due  to 
his  numerous  and  immense  labors.  His  death  cor- 
responded with  his  life;  and  his  life  was  a beau- 
tiful realization  of  sanctity,  as  I myself  can  attest, 
— an  attestation  in  which  I shall  be  fully  borne 
out  by  others.  He  was  truly  a pious  and  highly- 
spiritual  man  full  of  fervor  for  the  conversion  of 
2 Q *4* 


642 


THE  LIFE  OF 


infidels.  Much  more  earnestly  do  I commend  my- 
self to  him  than  I commend  him  to  God;  for  I 
firmly  believe  him  to  be  safe  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  beatitude  for  which  he  was  created.” 

As  a last  proof  of  Xavier’s  affection  for  his  Order, 
we  need  only  quote  his  well-remembered  expres- 
sion, “ If  ever  I forget  thee,  O Society  of  Jesus, 
may  my  own  right  hand  be  forgotten  !” 

To  the  tender  charity  of  the  father  he  added 
the  prudence  and  zeal  of  a wise  and  faithful  su- 
perior. He  would  often  return  a distance  of  four 
or  five  thousand  miles  to  visit  his  subjects;  to  be 
able  to  see  them  himself,  and  take  an  account  of 
•Jieir  conduct  and  labors;  to  apply  suitable  remedy, 
:f  perchance  there  might  be  some  diseased  soul 
in  the  little  community  of  the  Society  committed 
to  his  charge ; or  to  lop  off  any  useless,  putrid 
member.  This  was  done  with  a discreet  yet  reso- 
lute hand;  and  when  once  he  had  expelled  a sub- 
ject, no  entreaties — even  of  the  viceroy  himself — 
could  induce  him  to  readmit  the  delinquent:  he 
said,  and  with  reason,  that  large  communities  were 
often  more  injured  by  the  bad  example  than  bene- 
fited b}'  the  number  of  their  members.  No  soft 
complaisance  influenced  him  in  the  admission  of 
subjects  to  the  order,  or  deterred  him  from  ex- 
pelling such  as  were  insubordinate  or  turbulent. 
He  dismissed  Gomez  and  Mansilla,  notwithstand- 
ing their  many  advantageous  qualifications,  and 
notwithstanding  the  need  he  then  had  of  addi- 
tional laborers.  The  conversion  of  souls,  the 
peculiar  object  of  the  Society,  ougnt  not,  in  his 
opinion,  to  be  allowed  to  depend  solely  on  the  in- 
dustry and  skill  of  the  workmen:  it  ought  to  be 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  643 

effected  by  the  soul,  which,  from  its  own  redun- 
dancy, should  fill  and  operate  in  the  souls  of  others, 
whereas,  if  the  missioner’s  heart  be  devoid  of 
virtue  and  of  God,  how  can  he  impart  to  others 
that  which  he  himself  has  not?  With  this  convic- 
tion in  his  mind,  Xavier  used  often  to  warn  his 
followers  that  there  were  many  now  in  hell  whose 
sermons  and  instructions  had  sent  many  souls  to 
heaven. 

He  gave  excellent  written  advice  for  the  guidance 
of  some  who  were  in  important  posts,  that  they 
might  not  be  at  a loss  how  to  act  during  his  long 
intervals  of  absence.  We  give  as  a sample  the 
following  which  he  left  with  Father  Paul  di  Came- 
rino,  whom  he  constituted  superior  of  the  province 
when  he  set  out  to  Japan.  When  I say  superioi 
of  the  province,  I must  except  the  college  of  Goa, 
arhich  was  left  to  the  government  of  Gomez,  out 
if  respect  to  Father  Rodriguez,  who  had  nomi- 
aated  Gomez  to  that  charge.  Above  all  things,*'' 
says  the  saint,  “ I recommend  mutual  charity,  in 
the  first  place  between  you  two,  and  then  with  al] 
the  rest  of  the  fathers  and  brothers,  as  well  those 
of  the  college  of  Goa  as  of  the  other  residencies 
of  India  ana  of  those  who  may  arrive  from  Portu- 
gal. From  what  I know  and  have  seen  of  ours,  I 
have  such  confidence  in  all  of  them,  that  I do  not 
believe  they  need  a superior:  nevertheless,  for  the 
greater  merit,  and  that  all  things  may  go  accord 
ing  to  order,  Father  Anthony  Gomez  shall  govern 
the  college  of  Goa,  and  you  the  rest  of  the  pro- 
vince. Again  let  me  recommend  to  you,  as  in 
duty  I am  bound,  charity  between  you  two, — the 
one  not  interfering  in  the  office  of  the  other.  Let 


644 


THE  LIFE  OF 


all  the  fathers  and  brothers  dispersed  throughout 
the  Indies  be  specially  dear  to  you.  Provide  for 
all  their  necessities  as  far  as  you  possibly  can, 
having  great  consideration  for  the  trials  they 
undergo : therefore,  whenever  they  apply  to  you 
for  any  thing,  either  for  themselves  or  their  con- 
verts,— whether  the  necessity  be  spiritual  or  tem- 
poral,— use  every  possible  endeavor  to  provide  it 
for  them  expeditiously.  Let  the  letters  which  you 
write  to  those  who  are  at  a distance  be  full  of 
affection  and  charity,  taking  care  that  neither 
through  haste  nor  negligence  any  unkind  words 
should  creep  in  to  afflict  or  discourage  them ; re- 
membering the  great  sufferings  which  they  un- 
dergo in  the  service  of  Jesus  Christ,  especially  those 
at  the  Moluccas  and  those  on  the  coast  of  Comorin ; 
for  indeed  they  truly  carry  the  cross.  As  you  have 
but  little  experimental  knowledge  of  the  quality  and 
condition  of  the  various  residences  out  of  Goa,  do 
not  recall  or  change  any  of  those  who  labor  in  them, 
without  first  consulting  the  local  superior,  and 
then  only  making  the  change  with  his  approba- 
tion: otherwise,  instead  of  doing  good,  you  may 
occasion  difficulty  and  trouble.  Those  who  may 
have  occasion  to  visit  you  of  their  own  accord,  or 
who  may  be  sent  by  superiors  for  the  benefit  o 
their  souls,  must  be  treated  in  the  most  considera4  j 
manner,  and  ever}7  means  be  employed  to  restore 
or  strengthen  their  fervor  of  spirit. 

“ Often  write  to  me,  giving  me  a full  account 
of  yourself,  of  the  whole  province,  and  of  those 
who  arrive  from  Portugal  : give  me  the  most 
minute  information  with  respect  to  the  latter; 
who  they  are,  what  they  are,  and  how  many; 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  645 

Uie  number  of  priests,  and  the  number  of  bro- 
thers; whether  there  are  any  preachers  among 
them  : when  there  are,  send  them  to  preach  in  the 
fortresses,  which  have  been  a long  time  neglected, 
especially  those  of  Cochin  and  Goa.  Inform  me 
of  all  this  by  letter,  twice  a year  at  least,  whilst  ! 
am  absent  in  Japan;  seeding  your  letters  via  Ma- 
lacca and  Sunda.  As  foi  those  who  are  dispersed 
about  the  country,  take  care  to  let  me  know  what 
they  effect  to  the  glory  of  God;  particularly 
Father  Gaspar  in  Ormuz,  Father  Melchior  Gon- 
zales in  Bazaim,  Father  Nicholas  Lancillotti  K 
Cochin,  Father  Criminale  at  Cape  Comorin,  Father 
Perez  at  Malacca,  and  Father  Beira  in  the  Mo- 
luccas : give  me  minute  information  of  them  and 
their  companions, — how  they  are  in  health,  how 
they  live,  and  with  what  success  they  labor.  I 
request  you  to  read  tnis  written  memorandum, 
which  I shall  leave  with  you,  once  a week;  thrt 
the  directions  may  not  be  neglected  through  f<* 
getfulness ; giving  good  example  yourself,  as  you 
hitherto  have  done,  and  still  continuing  to  advance 
in  virtue:  moreover,  by  reading  them  so  frequently, 
you  will  be  reminded  of  me,  and  so  recommend 
me  to  Almighty  God,  which  I beseech  you  and  all 
pious  friends  to  do.  In  like  nanner,  beseech  all 
ours  of  the  college  to  recommend  me  to  God,  whom 
I implore  to  remain  with  you  and  to  accompany 
me.  Amen ! Goa,  April,  1549.” 

In  consequence  of  his  incessant  occupation  in 
tne  service  of  his  neighbor,  he  often  could  not 
find  an  hour  in  the  day  to  spend  with  his  own 
brethren  : he  therefore  gave  them  his  nights,  during 
wMeh  he  gave  them  excellent  instruction  and 


646 


THE  LIFE  OF 


advice,  often  committing  the  latter  to  writing  for 
them,  adapting  his  advice  to  the  necessities,  the 
office,  and  the  disposition  of  each  one.  It  was 
generally  believed  that  his  arrangements  for  the 
public  good,  as  well  as  the  private  arrangements, 
of  the  Society,  were  suggested  to  him  by  revela- 
tion from  heaven : at  least,  he  certainly  received 
special  assistance  from  the  Holy  Ghost : it  w^as 
quite  remarkable  to  see  how  completely  Xavier  in 
the  Indies  governed  in  conformity  with  the  consti- 
tutions of  St.  Ignatius,  which  were  not  written 
when  he  left  Europe,  and  of  which  a copy  did  not 
reach  India  until  after  the  death  of  our  holy 
apostle.  He  ruled,  nevertheless,  as  if  Almighty 
God  had  placed  them  before  his  eyes  before  He 
dictated  them  to  the  holy  founder:  the  government 
of  the  Society  would  have  gone  on  precisely  as  it 
did,  had  Xavier  been  at  Home  and  Ignatius  in  the 
Indies. 

During  his  long  intervals  of  absence,  he  did  not 
fail  often  to  be  present  with  his  brethren  by  means 
of  his  letters;  and,  if  nothing  else  remained  of 
him  besides  his  letters,  they  would  suffice  to  give 
the  true  effigy  of  his  mind,  so  completely  do  they 
depict  himself.  As  he  describes  the  perfect  idea 
of  an  evangelical  minister,  he  gives  (though  un- 
consciously to  himself)  his  own  exact  features,  his 
life  being  but  the  copy  of  what  his  letters  were 
the  model. 

His  letters  were  so  precious  to  his  religious  that 
they  were  sent  from  hand  to  hand  to  be  copied  : 
copies  were  even  sent  to  their  friends  in  Europe, 
one  of  which,  reaching  Majorca,  fell  into  the  hands 
<*f  Jerome  Nadal,  a man  of  remarkable  talent,  and 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


64" 


it  decided  his  vocation  to  the  Society.  His  letters, 
which  have  been  printed,  have  done  so  much  good 
that  we  may  not  inaptly  say  of  them  what  St. 
Gregory  Nazianzen  says  of  the  martyr  St.  Cyprian  t 
— “He  did  more  for  the  martyrs  by  his  letters, 
than  those  who  attended  on  the  martyrs,  assisting 
them  in  their  struggles;”  because  a great  number 
of  most  distinguised  laborers  were  induced,  by 
the  perusal  of  these  letters,  not  only  to  enter  the 
Society,  but  likewise  to  devote  themselves  to  the 
missions  of  the  East,  where  many  of  them  crowned 
a life  of  zeal  with  the  glory  of  martyrdom. 

Xavier  was  as  solicitious  for  regular  observance 
t home  as  he  was  for  active  labor  abroad.  When 
any  one  failed,  he  recalled  him  to  the  right  path, 
either  by  friendly  admonition,  or  by  sharp  reproof, 
as  the  case  required.  He  insisted  on  all  his  sub- 
jects showing  marked  deference  and  entire  sub- 
mission to  all  ecclesiastical  superiors,  such  as  the 
Bishop  of  Goa  and  the  Vicars  of  Cochin,  Melia- 
pore,  Malacca,  and  other  places.  Apostolic  Nuncio 
as  he  was,  he  gave  admirable  example  in  this 
respect:  whenever  he  met  any  of  them  in  the 
public  streets,  he  would  kneel  and  kiss  their  hand; 
nor  would  he  ever  undertake  a journey,  or  other 
important  affair  in  the  service  of  God,  without  first 
consulting  the  bishop. 

He  was  informed  that  a very  learned  priest,  to 
whom  he  had  intrusted  the  church  of  St.  Thomas, 
lived  at  variance  with  the  vicar  of  the  place,  or  at 
least  that  their  opinions  did  not  coincide : ho 
wrote  him  a very  sensible  and  serious  letter, 
although  he  was  an  aged  man  and  had  lived  some 
tir^e  wjth  St.  Ignatius, — a circumstance  of  itself 


sufficient  to  secure  the  respect  of  Xavier.  Tbi 
letter  accomplished  its  intended  object,  as  well  it 
might,  considering  the  substance  of  it.  In  it  he 
reproves  the  father  for  having  so  little  profited  in 
virtue  by  his  intercourse  with  and  by  the  example 
he  had  seen  in  St.  Ignatius,  their  blessed  father: 
indeed,  it  seemed,  on  the  contrary,  to  have  been 
more  injurious  than  beneficial,  judging  from  his 
own  imprudence.  After  which  he  goes  on  to  say, 
“ You  are  mistaken,  as  well  as  many  others  who 
resemble  you,  if,  not  having  great  humility,  and 
showing  it  by  its  effects,  you  fancy  that  just 
because  you  belong  to  the  Societ}r  you  may  follo  w 
your  own  notions,  without  any  regard  to  the  virtue 
of  our  Father  Ignatius,  who,  for  the  sake  of  his 
virtue,  has  been  raised  by  Almighty  God  to  such 
repute  and  authority.  And  do  you  aim  at  the 
authority,  without  the  virtues  which  alone  can 
acquire  it?  Remember,  it  is  better  to  do  a little 
with  peace,  than  a great  deal  with  turbulence  and 
scandal.  Where  there  is  the  latter,  we  destroy 
more  with  one  hand  than  we  build  up  with  the 
other;  and,  by  trying  to  grasp  too  much,  we  lose 
all.”  After  other  things,  he  thus  resumes  the 
subject: — “ By  that  love  and  obedience  which 
you  owe  to  Father  Ignatius,  I entreat  of  you,  ©n 
the  receipt  of  this  letter,  to  repair  immediately  to 
the  vicar  and  place  yourself  on  both  knees  before 
him,  most  humbly  asking  his  pardon  for  what  has 
occurred,  and  then  kiss  his  hands.  It  would  even 
be  more  gratifying  to  me  if  you  were  to  kiss  his 
feet,  promising  him  never  more  to  oppose  his  will 
in  the  smallest  degree.  Believe  me,  when  you  lie 
at  the  point  of  death,  you  will  rejoice  to  have  done 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  649 

this.  Rely  on  God,  and  be  convinced  that  when 
his  divine  Majesty,  and  men  too,  shall  have  wit- 
nessed your  submission,  the  very  fact  of  it  will 
draw  such  blessings  upon  you  that  you  will  suc- 
ceed in  whatever  you  undertake  for  the  honor 
and  service  of  our  Lord  and  for  the  benefit  and 
salvation  of  your  neighbor.”  He  concludes  the 
letter  with  these  words  of  more  than  paternal  ten- 
derness: — “O  my  dear  brother,  if  you  could  but 
know’  the  affection  which  dictates  the  w^ords  I now 
write,  you  would  remember  me  day  and  night : 
perhaps  even  the  love  I bear  you  might  excite 
your  tears.  If  in  this  life  it  wTere  permitted  us  to 
behold  each  other’s  hearts,  believe  me,  you  w7ould 
see  yourself  enshrined  in  mine.” 

Thus,  like  a good  father  and  an  equally  good 
superior,  he  qualified  the  bitter  with  the  sweet; 
and,  as  St.  Gregory  Nazianzen  expresses  himself, 
he  knew  how  to  act  the  part  of  a prudent  as  well 
as  of  a gentle  shepherd,  by  applying  the  crook 
when  the  voice  of  song  did  not  suffice  to  recall  the 
wandering  sheep. 

The  expressions  and  reference  to  St.  Ignatius 
contained  in  this  letter  remind  me  of  the  great 
respect  which  Xavier  ever  entertained  for  his 
holy  father : he  evidently  thought  that  his  mere 
name  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  correct  a wayward 
subject  and  bring  him  back  to  the  strait  path  of 
duty.  In  the  superscription  of  his  latter  letters 
ne  expressly  calls  him  holy  father , and  always  ap- 
peals familiarly  “to  your  holy  charity .”  Whenever 
he  spoke  of  him,  vTiich  wras  very  often  indeed,  he 
always  added  the  term  saint  to  his  name.  He 
55 


650 


THE  LIVE  OJ 


wept  over  his  letters  with  ir.  ngled  m.d.gs  of  reve- 
rence and  delight;  and  he  himself  tells  us  that  he 
never  read  the  letters  written  to  him  by  St.  Igna- 
tius, or  wrote  to  him,  otherwise  than  on  his  knees. 
He  implored  him  for  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ  to 
send  him  some  pupil  according  to  his  own  spirit, 
to  be  his  director  and  the  master  of  his  soul, — one 
who  might  stimulate  his  sloth,  and  warm  the 
tepidity  of  his  heart,  so  cold  in  the  things  of  God, 
— one  who  would  bring  with  him  a spark  of  the 
glowing  fire  which  burned  in  the  soul  of  Ignatius. 

More  than  once  did  our  blessed  apostle  profess 
his  readiness  to  abandon  all  his  vast  enterprises  ia 
the  East,  and,  at  the  least  sign  of  his  holy  father  s 
will,  to  recross  the  ocean  and  again  become  a 
novice  in  the  school  of  his  great  master. 

Our  task  would  be  incomplete  if  we  entirely 
omitted  to  notice  the  magnificent  shrine  and  tomb 
provided  by  the  devoted  zeal  of  Father  Marcellus 
Mastrilli,  or  if  we  neglected  to  inform  the  reader 
that  the  right  arm,  which,  by  order  of  Father 
General  Aquaviva,  was  severed  from  the  blessed 
body  and  conveyed  to  Lisbon,  as  already  related, 
was  thence  transferred  to  the  capital  of  the  Chris- 
tian world,  where  a magnificent  little  chapel  w \ft 
prepared  for  its  reception  by  the  pious  munificent 
of  Monsignor  John  Francis  Negroni,  one  of  tho 
most  distinguished  prelates  of  the  Roman  court. 
Here,  exposed  to  the  veneration  of  the  public,  in 
'dose  proximity  with  the  tomb  of  the  holy  father. 
•«  deposited  the  arm  of  the  most  glorious  of  hi# 
sons, — an  arm  which  had  destroyed  so  many  idols, 
baptized  so  many  nations,  raised  so  many  dead  tc 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER.  651 

ife,  and  wrought  so  many  other  stupendous  mira 
cles. 

The  body  of  the  Apostle  of  the  Indies  remained 
at  Goa,  continuing  after  death  a succession  of  the 
same  wonders  which  had  rendered  him  so  illus- 
trious in  life.  About  eighty  years  after  his  en- 
tombment  in  the  manner  before  narrated,  the  bod^ 
was  again  examined,  and  rehabited  in  a magnify 
cent  chasuble  embroidered  with  pearls  and  other 
precious  stones,  the  gift  of  her  catholic  majesty 
Queen  Isabella,  who  deemed  herself  rich  in  re- 
ceiving in  exchange  for  it  the  old  one  in  which  tb^ 
saint  had  previously  been  buried.  The  new  shrine 
in  which  the  precious  body  was  at  the  same  time 
deposited  is  very  large,  composed  of  massive  silver 
superbly  worked,  adorned  with  statues,  gold  em- 
broidery, enamels,  and  jewels : its  cover  is  equally 
valuable,  made  in  the  form  of  a close  crown,  the 
whole  surmounted  by  a splendid  canopy  sustained 
by  several  beautiful  columns.  It  is  generally  be- 
lieved that  no  saint  honored  by  the  Church  has 
ever  been  more  magnificently  entombed  than  St. 
Francis  Xavier : this  is  due  to  the  reverential  love 
of  his  devoted  client  Father  Marcellus  Francis 
Mastrilli,  who,  as  he  passed  through  Goa,  on  his 
way  to  the  mission  of  Japan,  procured  this  valua- 
ble piece  of  workmanship  by  means  of  alms  col- 
lected by  him  for  the  purpose  in  Europe  and  the 
Indies. 

The  singularity  of  the  circumstances  connected 
with  the  life  and  death  of  Father  Mastrilli  would 
almost  seem  (according  to  human  views  and  no- 
tions) to  tell  us  that  the  holy  apostle  was  hardly 


652 


THE  LIFE  OF 


satisfied  in  heaven,  and  that,  having  been  unable 
to  obtain  the  crown  of  martyrdom  himself,  he 
would  positively  find  a substitute,  who  should  win 
the  honor,  if  not  for  him,  at  least  instead  of  him. 
For,  appearing  to  Father  Mastrilli  in  the  garb  of  a 
pilgrim,  and  as  if  still  anxious  to  pursue  his  voyages, 
labors,  and  preaching,  -which  death  had  interrupted, 
he  dictated  to  Mastrilli  a formula  of  prayer  im- 
ploring the  grace  of  martyrdom  in  these  wrords : — 
“I  earnestly  implore  the  grace  of  shedding  my 
blood  for  thee, — a grace  which  the  Apostle  of  the 
Indies,  Francis  Xavier,  after  all  his  labors,  did  not 
obtain.”  Men  of  holy  penetration  are  of  opinion 
that  Almighty  God  permitted  Xavier  to  find  a sub 
stitute  for  martyrdom  in  the  person  of  Father  Mas 
trilli,  and  allowed  him  to  suffer,  through  his  be- 
loved friend  and  client,  what  he  himself  was  no 
longer  in  a condition  to  undergo.  Facts,  at  all 
events,  go  far  to  justify  this  opinion  ; for  He  miracu- 
lously restored  him  to  life  at  a moment  when  the 
doctors  had  declared  his  case  hopeless;  He  led  him 
through  a succession  of  miracles  from  Europe  to 
Japan,  where,  naturally  speaking,  we  might  have 
imagined  him  destined  to  work  numberless  grand 
conversions  : nevertheless,  scarcely  had  he  set  foot 
in  Japan  ere  he  met  with  martyrdom, — as  if  for 
this,  and  this  alone,  had  Xavier  guided  him  thither. 
His  death  was  of  the  most  torturing  description. 
For  four  consecutive  days  did  he  remain  in  the  pit, 
hanging  head  downward,  in  a rapture  all  the  time, 
enjoying  the  sweet  consolations  of  Almighty  God 
and  of  his  glorious  patron.  Being  still  alive  when 
removed  from  the  pit,  he  was  decapitated  on  the 
17th  of  October,  1637. 


SAINT  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 


653 


It  remains  nowforus,  whoso  admire  the  greatness 
of  this  glorious  apostle,  and  who  enjoy  the  advan- 
tage of  his  protection  from  heaven, — it  remains  for 
us,  I say,  to  aspire  to  the  imitation  of  his  virtues, 
as  the  Church  expresses  herself  in  the  prayer 
appropriated  to  the  saint: — “May  we,  who  vene- 
rate his  glorious  merits,  imitate  th*'  example  o: 
his  virtue ! Amen.” 


55* 


rns  end. 


* 


► 


Date  Due 

£3Kn 

^JVU^ca 

C A 

A Cl 
-<£  . M t VI* 

L-  n.  A 

V 

•j 

u 

f\PR-4^ 

OCT  El ’68 

MAR  1 6 2 

uu7 

/ 

f> 

PKlWl  tu 

IN  U.  S.  A. 

/ • 

Boston  College  Library 

Chestnut  Hill  67,  Mass. 

Books  may  be  kept  for  two  weeks  unless  a shorter 
period  1b  specified. 

Two  cents  a day  is  charged  for  each  2-week  book 
kept  overtime;  25  cents  a day  for  each  overnight 
book. 

If  you  cannot  find  what  you  want,  inquire  at  the 
delivery  desk  for  assistance. 


10-92 


